Post/Author/DateTime	Post
chimpman 09-29-05, 09:42 PM	Well, I managed to get my hands on the new (2005) season of Doctor Who with Christopher Eccleston (which is no small feat for someone states side) and I was just blown away. The stories were fantastic... some of the best sci-fi/fantasy I've seen in quite a while (perhaps ever) and lots of fun to watch as well. I was so pumped up by the experience that I had to sit down and flesh out this campaign idea. Hope some of you enjoy it. Campaign: Professor Who The Prophecy is everything. It molds and shapes the world, holding the three progenitor dragons in balance. Some seek to use the Prophecy to in their quest for power, believing that understanding its obscure passages will give them insight to the future. Others seek understanding as an end unto itself. There are those who seek to manipulate the Prophecy, twisting its passages to their own foul ends, and there are those who would see it utterly destroyed. And then there are those who would protect it. The Professor and his companions travel across the face of Eberron, through the depths of Khyber, and under the light of Siberys, during their pursuit to maintain the integrity of the Prophecy. [This campaign is based off an idea I had a while ago that can be found on the Whacky Campaigns from Elsewhere (”http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=396832”) thread.] Campaign Mechanics Play will revolve around a single character (the Professor) and his companions, as they foil villainous plots aimed at the Prophecy. The Professor is a pivotal character, and as such should not be dominated by any single player. Each player will get a turn to control the actions of the Professor character, while the others play his companions. Should the Professor die (at the end of a particular Campaign Arc – or sooner), another player will get a chance to create a new persona for him. All of the Professor’s memories remain intact, though race, character class, skill sets, and feats, may all change to suit the new player. Each Campaign Arc will feature one particular villainous group as the main antagonist, and should end with their defeat and the Professor’s “death”. This will allow a new player to assume the role of that character. Although the Professor can be killed, because the Prophecy is working through him directly, he doesn’t stay dead. Instead he experiences a peculiar kind of reincarnation. Common belief, by those who know of such things, is that the Professor’s body can undergo up to 12 regenerations. The 13th time he is killed, his death is permanent. This style of campaign will also force players to retire companion characters when they assume control of the Professor. Thus the campaign insures a rotating cast of characters. Players should be aware of this rotation, and plan ahead for appropriate ways to remove retired characters from the campaign. The Professor Though the Professor can take many forms, there are several things that always remain in common. 1) The Professor has the half-dragon template. Different incarnations may express themselves using different dragon varieties. 2) There is always a large dragonmark somewhere on the Professor’s body. The dragonmark is as large as a Siberys mark, but is neither one of the 13 standard dragonmarks, nor is it an aberrant dragonmark. 3) The Professor’s mental ability scores should not change between incarnations, though his physical ability scores can. Changes in ability scores should not break whatever method is being used for ability score generation. For example, if using a 32 point buy system, the Professor’s scores can never be above the 32 point threshold. The TARDIS The TARDIS is the deux ex machina that puts the Professor and company exactly where they need to be in order to begin play in any given scenario. Essentially a small magical hut with extra-dimensional living spaces, the TARDIS can teleport to any location on Eberron. Supposedly the Professor can control its movements, but the TARDIS also has a mind of its own, and has a habit of turning up somewhere that the Prophecy is currently unfolding. In addition to its powers of transportation, the TARDIS is also a conduit for the Prophecy itself. The Professor and his cohorts may use its abilities to help them try to decipher the events they stumble across, as well as those participating in them.
chimpman 09-29-05, 09:43 PM	Campaign Arcs Throughout his career, the Professor and his companions will face many diverse adversaries. Though the villains are varied, their goals are surprisingly similar… world domination. Tsochari Threat The tsochari are aberrant creatures from another plane, bent on the acquisition of magic at any cost. Few in numbers, they work in the shadows, slowly insinuating themselves in a group or organization and quickly rising to levels of power. Their ultimate goal is to manipulate enough magical energy to free their entire race from their prison home. Worms in the Sky (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=7400174&postcount=10) - These aberrant shapechangers have wormed their way into the floating halls of Arcanix. Secreted away in one of the towers is the means to open the rift between their world and Eberron. After infiltrating the Church of the Silver Flame, they are spreading heresy throughout the congregation. Hidden away is a secret spawning chamber which they are protecting. Rise of the Beholders Paranoid, xenophobic, and down right tyrannical, the beholders would surely be able to dominate the world… that is if any being could unify them into a single cohesive force. Just one creature might be able to do so. XXX the daelkyr is the father of the beholder race. Should they succeed in their attempts to free him it would spell disaster for all of Eberron. [The beholders are modeled after the Daleks, with their daelkyr overlord being Davros. Exterminate!] Deep in the depths of Khyber the beholders are stirring, and their first target will be a small Dhakaani village. The center of the village holds a key to the freedom of their master. Several beholder clans have united under a single banner and are about to unlease an assault upon Sharn. The Lord of Blades Created as a race of warriors, the warforged have long been seen as little more than slaves to the other races of Eberron. With the end of the Last War and the rise of their own leaders, this is about to change. From within the dreaded Mournlands minions of the Lord of Blades plot to overthrow the dreaded fleshy races, and take Eberron for themselves. [The warforged minions of the Lord of Blades are modeled after the Cybermen. Without a working Creation Forge I see the warforged as a declining race. They will be very concerned about loosing any of their number in attacks against the other races.] Towns and villages bordering on the Mournlands are disappearing, sometimes one peasant at a time. The warforged are simply testing their skills before attempting to hit larger prey. Amidst the jungles and cyclopean ruins of Xen’drik, the warforged search for the secrets of their creation. Should they be found, then new armies of warforged would pour forth from the Mournland. Enter the Animators Driven from their own plane of existence by a great war, the crysmals have found a safe haven on Eberron. Now they have set about the task of making that haven more like their former home, regardless of who they uproot in the process. Their ability to animate inanimate objects makes them particularly dangerous in densely populated and civilized areas. [Crysmals are modeled after the Nestene Consciousness, with their animated objects being the Autons.] In the northern reaches of the Frostfell, an outpost of Thrane has fallen under attack. Its enemies come not from without, but from within, as the crysmals turn the Thrane’s own creations against them. Once again Sharn falls under attack as the crysmals scramble to gather up as much material wealth as they can. Stolen gems and coins are used to generate more crysmals. Heirs of Dhakaan Once they ruled an empire that spanned nearly half of Khorvaire, but now the Heirs of Dhakaan are forced to eek out a living beneath the mountains of the world. Many a hobgoblin seer now proclaims that the time is right to reclaim their birthright. The Heirs of Dhakaan are poised for the creation of their second empire. [The Dhakaani are modeled after the warlike Sontarans. The position of their ancient enemies, the Rutan, could be filled either by the Aerenal or daelkyr aberrations.] In the swamps of Q’barra a deadly race is underway to reclaim an artifact of the ancient Dhakaani empire. Lizardfolk, New Galifarans, and Dhakaani agents all seek the item which could be deadly in the wrong hands. The Blade Desert is a forbidding place, but it holds many secrets. Once a battlefield between the Dhakaani and the Aerenal, the sands still hide many ancient artifacts. Ships have been disappearing off the southern coast of Khorvaire, and the Kraal lords are responsible. Blood of Vol Possibly one of the Professor’s most brilliant and deadly enemies, Vol possesses many of the same traits that he does. She is a half dragon, and incredibly old (thanks to he state of lichdom), and just as the Professor does she has the ability to see the Prophecy unfold before her. Unlike the Professor she is filled with an unquenchable thirst for vengeance. [Vol is modeled after the Master. The other Time Lords may or may not be considered to be the dragons of Argonnessen.]
AlHazred 09-30-05, 01:18 AM	I like it. You've obviously put a lot of thought into it, and it shows. I'd make the ancient enemies of the Dhakaani daelkyr and their Aberrations, just to maximize the use you'll get from the rest of the supplements. If I were still updating the Whacky Campaigns from Elsewhere thread, I'd put a link to this in there. As it is, I feel it was all worthwhile. :D
Edymnion 09-30-05, 01:37 AM	Well, I managed to get my hands on the new (2005) season of Doctor Who with Christopher Eccleston (which is no small feat for someone states side) and I was just blown away. The stories were fantastic... some of the best sci-fi/fantasy I've seen in quite a while (perhaps ever) and lots of fun to watch as well.Man I know, I spent hours at Dragon*Con watching it. I always thought there was only one REAL Doctor (no one was better than Tom Baker, the 4th incarnation of the Doctor). Hated the Doctor incarnation in the green suit with the clover, but thats not the point. Point is, Eccleston makes for a VERY good Doctor. Still no Tom Baker, but he definately fills the Doctor's shoes quite well.
Mekboyjohn 09-30-05, 01:40 AM	[The beholders are modeled after the Daleks, with their daelkyr overlord being Davros. Exterminate!] I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Beholders look like daleks, I had rules for dalek-like construct made by evil gnomes.
Charles Phipps 09-30-05, 01:51 AM	Anyone think that the Crimson Ship would make a good tardis? The Dragons of Siberys Perhaps the greatest enemy of the Professor is his own people. The Dragons of Siberys are an arrogant and condescending people that have difficulty believing that the Professor is an entity that can possibly be of service to the Prophecy. However, due to his powerful dragonmark...they are reluctant to destroy him and instead merely put him under geas or in bizarre situations to see how he'll affect the areas of the Prophecy that they're unclear on or to protect it from his influence. [The Dragons are obviously based on the Time Lords] The Dragons of Siberys have banished the Professor to Khovaire and restricted his movements to both this time and space. The Dragons of Siberys have decided the Professor must stand trial for his crimes, unaware that a Full blooded Shadow Dragon (the Professor's Dragon half that will be incarnated into pure evil in the future) is responsible. The Dreaming Dark In the dark and wretched center of Dal Quora there is an incarnation of all that is evil and cruel in the universe and this is the Dreaming Dark. However, in the future there will be a Dreaming Light. The Dreaming light has yet to come to be but that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. [Obviously based on the Black Guardian] The Dreaming Light recruits the Professor to fetch a Cosmic device that will allow him to alter time with a series of improbable changes that will nevertheless help him bring about his existence. Tired of his meddling, the Dreaming Dark incarnates itself as an Inspired and prepares a plot to kill the Professor.
chimpman 09-30-05, 11:23 AM	Point is, Eccleston makes for a VERY good Doctor. Still no Tom Baker, but he definately fills the Doctor's shoes quite well. Yeah, I felt the same way after watching a few episodes. I grew up on Tom Baker... didn't even know there was any other incarnations of the Doctor for years. I've even got 2 30ft long scarves in my closet that just wait for rainy days. :D Pertwee (#3) grew on me after a while, but still he didn't hold a candle flame to Baker. Anyway after having seen the entire 2005 season, I think I have a new favorite. Maybe it's just that the faster paced episodes (now only 45 minutes long) appeal to me. ;) They seem much more action packed. And the dialog is great! Can't wait for 2006 - I hear the cybermen are coming back :devil: Man, it's good to know there are other Who fans out there. For those of you who have no idea what we're talking about here is a wikipedia link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_who). It's also very helpful in coming up with adventure ideas as many of the episodes have at least some kind of synopsis. Anyway... bringing this back to Eberron... Charles, I like the ideas. Keep them coming. I was wondering how to bring the Dreaming Dark into all of this, and I think Black Guardian is perfect. As for the dragons, well I think you read my mind. That's exactly what I was thinking myself. I plan on fleshing out some of my adventure ideas further and I'll post them here when I'm done. Here are some questions for you: 1) If you ran such a campaign would you include the time travel? I could go either way on this. On one hand I don't think you need it. Eberron is so adventure rich in the present day that time travel might only serve to add confusion to the campaign. On the other hand Eberron has a very interesting past. Malleon the Destroyer, Karn, Galifar and his Scions, the Age of Giants, Age of Monsters, and even... need I say it Age of Demons. Man, that would be fun. One thing that always bothers me as a DM is that I always end up knowing much more than my players do about any given campaign world's history... and what a waste that is! This is one way to introduce players to all of this delicious information :D. 2) What would you use for the TARDIS? I think it needs a new name at the very least. I had designed something once that was basically an extradimensional box powered by lantern archons. When the archons work together they are able to teleport the box and everything in it wherever it needs to go. This kind of thing also takes the decision of where to go out of the players hands. They might be able to influence the archons of course, but may never get exactly what they expect. Any other ideas. I like the Crimson Ship for a TARDIS variant. Make it flight capable (and smaller I think) and that's perfect.
MarkB 09-30-05, 12:48 PM	How about this: The TARDIS-equivalent is an ancient draconic Eldritch Machine built into a big laboratory complex rediscovered and repaired by the Professor, who accessed it through a portal he found in a ruin somewhere remote (Xen'drik, perhaps, or Q'Barra or the Mournland). It's inaccessible from the outside, surrounded by adamantine walls and dimensional locks, and nobody's really sure where it is - it may not even be on the material plane. It can only be accessed via portals, for that is its function - manipulation of the complex control pedestal at the centre of the lab can create a Gate to anywhere on Eberron (perhaps even on any plane, though the Professor hasn't yet mastered this). Some ground rules to keep things interesting and not too overpowered: Using the controls requires a Profession (Eldritch Researcher) check, and failure by 5 or more can lead to a mishap, with the portal forming off-position by an amount proportional to the degree of failure. Only the Professor has ranks in Profession (Eldritch Researcher), and this profession may only be taken up by other party members if they find a suitable teacher (which may include the Professor himself if he's willing). The portal may be redirected only once per day. If you're off-course, you either have to wait or slog it out on foot. The portal never actually closes - that is, it always leads somewhere. That's why the lab was still accessible via portal even after millenia of abandonment. A special key can be used from the outside of the portal to erect a barrier across it, which takes the form of an opaque blue wall of force. The wall is unbreachable, renewing itself instantaneously if disintegrated or dispelled, but the locking charm is equivalent to a powerful Arcane Lock which can be breached with a Knock spell of caster level 12 or higher, or by an Open Lock check using an Arcane Key (S:CoT page 169) at DC 30.
Charles Phipps 09-30-05, 07:28 PM	Actually, I grew up on the 5th Doctor and oddly tended to view the Doctor as this relatively young and energetic fellow whom had a fondness for cricket and tea. It wasn't until later that I discovered Tom Baker and I still prefer the more understated and dressing well Doctor. It's why I'm looking forward to the David Tennant Doctor whom seems to be like he'll be closer to the 5th Doctor. Here are some questions for you: 1) If you ran such a campaign would you include the time travel? I could go either way on this. On one hand I don't think you need it. Eberron is so adventure rich in the present day that time travel might only serve to add confusion to the campaign. On the other hand Eberron has a very interesting past. Malleon the Destroyer, Karn, Galifar and his Scions, the Age of Giants, Age of Monsters, and even... need I say it Age of Demons. Man, that would be fun. One thing that always bothers me as a DM is that I always end up knowing much more than my players do about any given campaign world's history... and what a waste that is! This is one way to introduce players to all of this delicious information . If I were to play the Professor then I imagine I'd very much include both time and space travel. However, I'd restrict the Space Travel to the Moons and planets in the System or use the Doctor's "geas" to stay on the planet to keep the players from wandering off into the universe inhabited beyond. If I ever DID do alien adventures, I'd simply use D&D's Planescape to substitute for most aliens. The trick would be that I would establish there is certain "rules" to Time Travel. The Crimson Ship/Tardis adjusts to a specific timeline by incorporating the Professor and his company into the timeline so that in order to avoid paradox, they actually HAVE to stay until the CRIMSONSHIP/TARDIS says they can go. Does it make logical sense? If your players ask, say yes, to a intellect FAR vaster than yours. Historical records are rarely exact and you never know exactly what you'll be encountering in a time stream. Especially with other time travellers and aliens afoot. The Crimson Ship/Tardis naturally gravitates to areas of temporal instability, as if it had a mind of it's own. As such the players are certainly fated to play a role. The Crimson Ship/Tardis' historical database gives you something akin to an encylopedia entry. I suggest a big book that the players can research in with the words "Don't Panic", so they won't feel like they're flying blind. The Ship/Tardis suffers incredible mechanical failures often so the players become accustomed to it being a 'deus es machine' for travel and nothing more. 2) What would you use for the TARDIS? I think it needs a new name at the very least. I had designed something once that was basically an extradimensional box powered by lantern archons. When the archons work together they are able to teleport the box and everything in it wherever it needs to go. This kind of thing also takes the decision of where to go out of the players hands. They might be able to influence the archons of course, but may never get exactly what they expect. Any other ideas. I like the Crimson Ship for a TARDIS variant. Make it flight capable (and smaller I think) and that's perfect. As mentioned, I think the Crimson Ship from the Explorer's Handbook works best. It's a ship already known to randomly appear and dissapear before picking up strange and odd companions, just have the first adventure reveal the "ultraloth" Captain is actually the Doctor under a curse and give it the ability to fly, spelljam, and submarine amongst other abilities but no offensive capability whatsoever.
chimpman 10-02-05, 12:46 AM	Great ideas guys. Ok, here is a little adventure I whipped up. Adventure Primer: Worms in the Sky Introduction “Where are we, Professor?” “The floating towers of Arcanix,” he says with arms held wide, stepping through the portal and into a stone room with vaulted ceilings. The walls are covered floor to ceiling in bookshelves, broken only by the occasional window which streams bright sunlight into the room. Suddenly a young boy in the livery of the towers rushes past them all, nearly knocking the Professor over. He makes his way quickly to the far side of the room where many people are gathered in a clump, staring at something on the floor. With raised eyebrows and a grin that stretches from ear to ear, the Professor looks at his companions. “Come on then! Let’s see what’s up.” Arrival: The Library The professor arrives in the middle of one of the great libraries of Arcanix. Moments before one of the sages found the body of Falesh Grele, a powerful wizard, lying dead in a corner. A throng of people is gathering around the body in shock, trying to discern what happened to one of their own. Several months ago Falesh Grele was inhabited and consumed by a tsochari arcanist named Vaalx. Due to his strange behavior Grele was being watched closely by several of his rivals. One of those, Earian Hayreth, confronted him while the two were alone in the library. Since Grele was nearing the end of his usefulness anyway, Vaalx left his body and inhabited Hayreth’s. There are several tsochari currently in Arcanix. Their ultimate goal is to open a stable portal between the floating towers and their desolate home world. Once that is done, a full blown invasion will commence. Obstacles & Allies These obstacles may hinder the Professor and his companions in some way, as they search for whatever is disturbing the Prophecy. Talwer Heph – Heph is one of the leading wizards of Arcanix, and master of this tower. Heph is less than helpful and will probably suspect the Professor of complicity in Grele’s death (initial attitude hostile). Though he is not inhabited by a tsochari, Heph will oppose the Professor at every turn, even going as far as calling the guards to apprehend him. Earian Hayreth – Earian/tsochari is content to remain silent while the doctor investigates. She can afford to bide her time, at least while she analyzes her adversary. Later Earian will approach the PCs and offer them her aid in solving the mystery. Kaark – Kaark showed some minor talent in the arcane arts and was ecstatic when Arcanix accepted him as a pupil. Now he suspects that the only reason they did so was so that the goblin could spend most of his waking hours cleaning the towers. Kaark may offer to help the Professor, especially if Heph takes a disliking to him. [Kaark is also a Dhakaani sleeper agent.] Clues These are clues that the Professor and his companions may investigate. Piecing all of the leads together will help them solve the ultimate mystery of Arcanix. Falesh Grele’s body – The body that the Professor finds has been through quite a lot. There are numerous bruises discoloring the body from head to toe (Search check DC 10). Grele is emaciated, apparently not having eaten well in quite a while (Search check DC 15). Most disturbing however is the fact that the body appears to be nothing more than a shell of skin and bones. Internal organs, fatty tissue, and muscle mass are all missing (Search check DC 20). Glyph scroll – Grele’s clenched fist is still grasping this scroll. A single large glyph lies prominently in the center of the old vellum scroll, with a spiral of smaller glyphs running outward from it. The large glyph is the symbol for depicting the plane of Xoriat (Knowledge – planes check DC 10). One of the glyph spirals details opening portals between planes (Decipher Script check DC 15), while the other details the process of weakening planar boundaries (Decipher Script check DC 20). Signs of battle – Magical residues can be found with a Detect Magic spell. Auras that show signs of illusion magic as well as evocations. Talking with those who know will reveal that Grele was an illusionist of some renown (Gather Information check DC 10), although he had no skill with the school of evocation (Gather Information check DC 15). Further inquiries will reveal that both Talwer Heph and Earian Hayreth are skilled evokers (Gather Information check DC 20). Event: Grele’s Quarters As soon as Vaalx abandoned Grele’s body in favor of Hayreth’s, it knew there were going to be problems. Arcanix would be in an uproar over the death of one of its own. Vaalx kept many important items in Grele’s quarters and had no time to collect them before switching hosts. Just after the confrontation between the two mages, Vaalx sent two of his minions to Grele’s quarters to collect its belongings. If the Professor and his companions are quick enough they will be able to confront the tsochari before they have a chance to leave Grele’s chambers. Grele’s quarters are a shambles. Dirt and filth cover the floor, books are strewn about the rooms haphazardly, and scraps of food lie rotting in every corner. On top of all this all of the furniture in the room has been overturned and several ceramic bowls and vases have been shattered. Obstacles & Allies These are the obstacles that the Professor and his companions will face while investigating Grele’s quarters. Vaalx’s Servants – Two tsochari have subsumed the identities of Arcanix students, Illya Hans and Gregor Tam. By Vaalx’s orders they are currently ransacking Grele’s chambers. They will attack anyone who stumbles upon them, for they don’t want to blow their cover yet. Aslen Koroboth – This dwarf has been dogging Grele’s tail for weeks now. A member of the Mosaic Council, Aslen knows that the artifact hidden away by Heph might be able to disrupt the Prophecy, and he knows that Grele was trying to gain access to it. Binding Circle – During its masquerade as Grele, Vaalx came across many interesting references to planar bindings. One such discovery lead Vaalx to create this magic circle and bind a demon to it. Should anyone disturb the tsochari while they ransack Grele’s room they will release the demon. Clues These are clues that the Professor and his companions will be able to find in Grele’s chambers. Illya Hans and Gregor Tam – Both of these students have been reacting strangely lately. They miss many of their classes, especially those where they are expected to practice their craft (Gather Information check DC 10). Instead they spend most of their time ransacking various libraries in the towers, and have been chastised for their treatment of the materials they find on several occasions (Gather Information check DC 15). Illya was often seen with Grele at a local hangout called The Pegasus (Gather Information check DC 20), and both students were seen talking in the hallway with Earian Hayreth just moments after Grele’s death (Gather Information check DC 25). Wounded Worm – If either of the tsochari are wounded by the characters, there is a chance that a part of the parasites will be left behind (Spot check DC 15). Though harmless, the single worm-like strand may reveal that the PCs are dealing with tsochari (Knowledge – dungeoneering check DC 25 or Knowledge – planes check DC 20). The Black Portal – Many of the bits and scraps of paper lying about the chambers are notes scribbled by Grele about something he refers to as the Black Portal. The Black Portal is supposedly an ancient artifact that links the world of Eberron with the plane of Xoriat (Knowledge – planes check DC 20). The notes reveal that Talwer Heph is currently in possession of the artifact and has locked it in a secret vault deep within the tower (Decipher Script check DC 15). Event: Earian Hayreth Earian Hayreth no longer exists. For a month now, she had been watching Grele’s every move. Old rivals, she saw Grele’s erratic behavior as a sign of weakness and was waiting for the right moment to use it against him. Finally that moment came, and both Grele and Hayreth were alone in the tower’s library. Hayreth moved to strike Grele, but got more than she expected. The tsochari Vaalx abandoned Grele’s body and inhabited Hayreth’s. Though Vaalx will be helpful at first, should any suspicions begin to fall on Earian, it won’t hesitate to attack. Vaalx also won’t hesitate to use up its current host, but will try to escape if hard pressed. Obstacles & Allies These are the obstacles that the Professor and his companions will face while investigating Earian Hayreth. Earian Hayreth – Earian, now replaced by Vaalx, may approach the PCs with an offer of help. She will try to steer any investigation so that Heph is the primary suspect. Vaalx knows that Heph has the Black Portal and that he keeps it hidden deep in the vaults of the tower. The Black Portal is just one piece of the puzzle however. It requires a key to activate, which Vaalx keeps with him at all times. Kallith ir’Varn – Unknown to all within the halls of Arcanix, both Kallith and Earian are Karrnathi agents. When Earian misses their appointed meeting, Kallith fears the worst. He finds her and tracks her movements until finally he is convinced that she has turned double agent. Kallith will try to eliminate Earian and anyone seen working with her. Thanks to her initial friendly attitude with the PCs that will mean the Professor and his companions. Clues These are the clues that the Professor and his companions will be able to find when investigating Earian Hayreth. Tantor – As soon as Vaalx consumed the insides of the wizard Earian and killed her, all connections to her familiar Tantor were lost. The small viper now roams the hallways of the tower, his mental faculties rapidly vanishing. Should anyone be able to speak with animals, Tantor will tell them that his master Earian Hayreth is dead. The Dark Key – This obsidian stone is required to activate the Black Portal (Use Magic Device check DC 25). Vaalx keeps this on his person at all times, though if it is driven from Earian it is likely that Vaalx will leave the key behind. Finale: Hidden Vault Talwer Heph keeps an unknown artifact hidden deep in the tower, under lock and key. A flat black stone, three feet in diameter, with deep red runs carved into its surface, was found decades ago by members of the Wayfinder Foundation on Xen’drik. An Arcanix mage bought the artifact and brought it back to the floating towers to study it. That mage was never seen again, and Heph had the stone locked away since his disappearance. Only Heph has a key to the vault. It is warded to protect it against most forms of entry, both mundane and magical. Grele had been attempting to gain access for months, but Heph refused him. Now Vaalx, through Earian Hayreth, plans to use the Professor to gain access to the stone. If it succeeds, it will use the artifact to once again open up a portal to its realm. The Professor and his companions must end the tsochari threat once and for all. Even if he manages to prevent Vaalx from ever gaining access to the Black Portal, unless the tsochari is stopped it will continue trying to bring its kin into this world.
Charles Phipps 10-02-05, 01:30 AM	Wonderful adventure, I like it. I thought I'd throw this in.... The Dark Lanterns There is an unnamed unit of the Dark Lanterns that exists outside of the governments' usual employ. This special unit of the Dark Lanterns is a unit that had to be trusted with protecting Eberron from alien, temporal, and other excursions because only Breland could be trusted with the task...after all, the others were foreigners. This unit has worked with the Professor on many occasions in the protection of the world from evil but it's head is also deeply suspicious of anything out of his area of expertise...which is practically everything. Brigadier Williams (shocking his name AND rank) heads the group. [Guess who?]
ChaosEngine 10-05-05, 08:35 AM	Hi. This is my first post on these boards so please be gentle with me! :) I couldn't resist joining a thread that combines Eberron and Doctor Who. Living in Britain I grew up on Who during Saturday teatime (earliest memory is the 4th Doctor in Seeds of Death which did have me hiding behind te sofa!). The campaign idea is a great one and I look forward to how you develop it. A couple of comments: I wouldn't allow Time Travel except in dire situations. Eberron is big enough without travelling in history. Use the example of the 3rd Doctor's exile and only let him into the past when the Prophecy needs him there. Perhaps the TARDIS could simply be a pocket dimension (or demi-plane) that can produce exits where needed. These could be controlled or random at the DM's will. The city of Sigil from Planescape always made me think of the TARDIS in that regard. I would have the exits on surfaces or in doorways etc. The Beholders as Daleks is a great idea. All that racial hatred - and they can go up stairs! Perhaps at the centre of the Mournland you could have an Omega-like villain who was trying to create a new Eldritch Machine/TARDIS but fell foul of the power of the Prophecy (or something!). Having the players run different incarnations of the Professor is a good idea. It should help teamwork and not let the other players feel like bystanders. I once ran a Doctor Who campaign (which was great fun!) but you do have to be careful of him taking centre stage. The new series has helped in this regard as Rose is written as the Doctor's equal. Thanks for reading and a big hello to all Eberron and DW fans out there!
chimpman 10-05-05, 02:18 PM	Hey ChaosEngine, Welcome to the boards :D You couldn't have picked a better thread to start posting in ;). I'm still undecided as to how to run the TARDIS. I think there are several good ideas out there already. I like the Crimson Ship because it provides a conventional, physical mode of transportation. I mean they're going to have to park the thing somewhere. On the other hand I like the planar conduit/demiplane/Sigil idea as well, since it provides access to anywhere in the Eberron cosmology. Using the controls requires a Profession (Eldritch Researcher) check, and failure by 5 or more can lead to a mishap, with the portal forming off-position by an amount proportional to the degree of failure. Only the Professor has ranks in Profession (Eldritch Researcher), and this profession may only be taken up by other party members if they find a suitable teacher (which may include the Professor himself if he's willing). Despite what the actual mechanism for travel is, I think using a skill check such as this is a must. Profession (Eldritch Researcher) is definately going into my plans. Ok, here's another idea - taken from the wikipedia entry on the TARDIS (since I haven't seen the 8th Doctor - supposedly TARDIS 102s are fully sentient beings). What if the TARDIS is actually one of the Professor's companions? An ancient warforged dug up from the dark reaches of Xen'drik that has the power to transport his companions across the Eberron cosmology.
Inkling 10-05-05, 09:31 PM	Totally off topic, but thanks for the info on the new Dr. Who! This is the first time I've heard of it. My friends and I were just saying that someone should resurrect Dr. Who with the same quality as the resurrected Battlestar Galactica. Amazon doesn't have it out yet, so if anyone knows where I can get a copy of the new Dr. Who, let me know. Back on topic, I like the idea of the Crimson Ship acting as the Tardis. The captain's side-quests are the perfect excuse for the most bizarre random encounters possible.
chimpman 10-06-05, 01:05 AM	Totally off topic, but thanks for the info on the new Dr. Who! This is the first time I've heard of it. My friends and I were just saying that someone should resurrect Dr. Who with the same quality as the resurrected Battlestar Galactica. Amazon doesn't have it out yet, so if anyone knows where I can get a copy of the new Dr. Who, let me know. If you're stateside then unfortunately you're out of luck. Amazon.uk carries the entire season, but it is region 2 encoded :(.
AlHazred 10-06-05, 07:35 PM	If you're stateside then unfortunately you're out of luck. Amazon.uk carries the entire season, but it is region 2 encoded :(.Ah, but some of us in the States have multiregion DVD players... :)
jesterjeff 10-07-05, 12:20 AM	saw the new doc series at Dcon, loved it......bought a fantastic copy in the dealers room. plays perfectly. I cannot wait for the next season, I only hope it lasts and that they try to keep this New Doctor around longer than a season...at least a few years.
MarkB 10-07-05, 03:53 AM	If you're intending to buy the region 2 version of the series, wait a few months. The current DVDs are basic extras-free releases, but a complete series box-set is due out at Christmas, complete with lots of extra features.
ChaosEngine 10-07-05, 08:21 AM	Hi. I would second MarkB on the DVDs - if you can get them wait for the box set later in the year. Back on the campaign - I was thinking about the Warforged / Cyberman thing and I can see where you're going but I think if you want a Cyberman equivalent you should go for the undead. The point of the Cybermen was body horror - they aren't scary because they are emotionless silver monsters. They are scary because they want to turn YOU into emotionless silver monsters. To this end the story Tomb of the Cybermen probably makes a straight up D&D conversion. Frozen undead waiting in a trap and puzzle filled tomb waiting for the cleverest people (i.e. PC adventurers) to break in and fill their ranks. You could place the tomb in Xen'drick or even in Karnnath. Maybe one of the Warlords wants to expand his undead troops, or the Blood of Vol starts to go on a really big recruitment drive...
chimpman 10-07-05, 11:03 AM	Back on the campaign - I was thinking about the Warforged / Cyberman thing and I can see where you're going but I think if you want a Cyberman equivalent you should go for the undead. The point of the Cybermen was body horror - they aren't scary because they are emotionless silver monsters. They are scary because they want to turn YOU into emotionless silver monsters. Man, I never thought of it that way. When you put it like that it does make some sense though. I was torn over the daleks in the same way, trying to decide to use beholders/aberrations or the Lord of Blades and his warforged. I mean, let's face it, if anyone wants to exterminate the fleshies, it's the LoB. In the end though (due in large part to my Spelljammer background), the beholders won out. It goes agains the Eberron flavor a bit since on Eberron beholders are supposed to be loners, but hey - it works for me. I do like the undead analogy though, and I think I might play around with it a bit.
Inkling 10-09-05, 11:10 PM	Inkling got his furtive filching hands on U.S.-friendly episodes of Dr. Who 2005 and you're right, they are fantastic! The End of the World episode gave me an idea you could steal (er, "acquire")for your campaign: a bunch of wealthy merchants of the various dragonmarked houses get together on a pleasure airship for a party to witness some "artistic phenomena" such as the tragic glory of dragonsong, the eruption of some volcano, Aurora Borealis over the Mournland, a massive vortex in the Thunder Sea, etc. A rival merchant who owns a significant share in each the various trading ventures of the other merchants decides to raise the values of his shares by sabotaging the airship at the worst moment and sending the other merchants to certain doom. The player characters could be there on bodyguard duty, along for the party (esp. if any have the Favored In House feat), or crew the airship. Throw in a Cannith warforged ninja /changeling rogue that's good at feigning death for an Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" twist and you've got an "original" adventure plot.