Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JoAT 11-23-06, 07:36 PM	The other day, a friend of mine and me were talking, and we both commented on how we had Jedi and Star Wars on the mind lately, and how we wanted to play a good space fantasy game, but, since we sold all our old Star Wars stuff, and the new Star Wars RPG wouldn't be out for some time, we hit upon the idea of using D&D, and the swiftly focused on Eberron as perfect to adapt. Of course, we're both embroiled in current games, and wouldn't play this for some time, but the idea was still pretty good, and I'd like to refine it, just in case I ever actually have the time to play it. What I have right now is as follows: The origion of Eberron is changed slightly. The three dragons did indeed strugle, but, rather than full imprisoning Khyber under the surface of Eberron, and Eberron becomeing the surface of the planet, with Siberys above, Khyber was instead forced 'down', dimensionally. Khyber existes throughout the Eberron solar system, and is best described as the interior of every planet. Indeed, a very determined party who wished to brave the depths of Khyber could move from planet to planet without ever entering space. Eberron is bound to the surfaces of the various planets, his very presence promoting life, and ensureing that the planets of the Eberron system are all livable. Siberys exists in the space between planets - in this version, the remains that are visible would likely be energy waves or something similar, perhaps appearing as incorporeal comets Siberys shards resulting when they crash into a planetary body. Speaking of planets, I'm thinking that the Eberron system consists of 6 planets, one for each major continent on Eberron. Each would become a planetary equivalent of the current continent, with Khorvaire having just emerged from a hundred year long world war, ending in the Mourning, a unknown weapon of great power devestating an entire continent. The other planes would be divided between other solar systems that occasionally close with Eberron, influencing the system, and actual planes of existance (with some being a cross between the two of them). Technologically and societal-wise, not alot would change, with perhaps some minor technological increases, ending up with a tech level that equals about the 1880s to 1920s, but perhaps with cybernetics (grafts), no or few guns, and I'm debating adding a computer network that's closer to the Etherpunk systems. In terms of rules, I'm thinking of useing d20 Modern, and simply adapting the various magic systems I'd want to incorporate as Advanced Classes (3.5 Psionics, Incarnum, Binders, warlocks, truenamers, and perhaps martial adepts). Since I dislike times/day things, I'm also thinking of replacing arcane magic with True Sorcery, but I'd like to do something different with divine. This is about as far as I've gotten, and if anyone's got some ideas about this, I'd love to hear 'em.
Ryuu_Tenshi 11-23-06, 07:39 PM	It's like Spelljammer! but not.
Logos7 11-23-06, 07:51 PM	I think that the better way to do this would be to , instead of having the planes and the moons be linked, have the planes be the moons. Some of the plane discriptions might need some tweeking, but there you go, Outer Spacy type adventures without redundant plants. Besides it be funny to look up at the moon and think that somewhere a pit fiend may be looking down at you Logos
SilvercatMoonpaw 11-23-06, 07:58 PM	I actually think each continent being expanded to planet size is a good idea for one reason that still irritates me about Eberron: you can have a much larger area for civilized adventures. Really, the pulp that inspired Eberron grew up in a world that had a much larger area of accessable civilization or semi-civilization than the current Eberron does. Expanding to planet size means you can keep the current political dimesnions of Khorvaire, but now there's just more land to put cities on and likely more waterfront, now that each country seems to be a continent.
JoAT 11-24-06, 01:36 AM	It's like Spelljammer! but not. Pretty much, right down to the helms, though, without the Crystal Spheres (or the spelljamming rules... Or the spelljammers...) I think that the better way to do this would be to , instead of having the planes and the moons be linked, have the planes be the moons. Somewhat too close to home. I mean, if I want there to be a alien, almost mad world alive with things that would shatter anyone's world, I'd much rather make it distant and hard to get too, like a planetary system much further away. Plus, with Eberron as a solar system, the space-born adventurers have a friendly home system, instead of single planet with aliens always staring down at you (aside from the Elves. With Aerenal being another planet, all those Valenar? Imperialistic alien colonists. Why can't they just assimilate like their Khorvarian relatives?) Though Mind Flayers from the Moon! does sound cool... Mind Flayers from Mars! would be better.... I actually think each continent being expanded to planet size is a good idea for one reason that still irritates me about Eberron: you can have a much larger area for civilized adventures. Really, the pulp that inspired Eberron grew up in a world that had a much larger area of accessable civilization or semi-civilization than the current Eberron does. Expanding to planet size means you can keep the current political dimesnions of Khorvaire, but now there's just more land to put cities on and likely more waterfront, now that each country seems to be a continent. You know, I didn't even think of that part. I was going to add some fairly minor countries, given the added space, but this is also a great bonus.
Mr. VanderMeer 11-24-06, 05:47 AM	You could have a shifter named MOG. "I'm my own best friend"
lordalm 11-26-06, 07:28 PM	What is it with the complaints about the size of Khorvaire? Thing is pretty huge. Equal to Austrailia at least. Covers the temperate zone and extends into the sub-artic and tropical zones of the planet. So you don't have a major city every 10 ft. Big whoop. Despite the high lvl of magic, You've had a 100 years of near constant war. Great for population regulation. Farming is still done the old medevil way. Some guy with a crude (by our standards) digging emplement maybe a plow hooked up to HORSES. Getting the produce and what not into cities is a chore, made only possible by the lightning rail and perservative magic, especially Sharn. It would literally take you most of the year to walk from the west side to the east side and that would only be dealing with the terrain and weather, never mind the oh so friendly inhabitants.
goblin_pride 11-26-06, 07:46 PM	It would literally take you most of the year to walk from the west side to the east side and that would only be dealing with the terrain and weather, never mind the oh so friendly inhabitants. It would take the better part of a year to cross Breland if the scale on some of the maps is correct. Granted Breland does have a bit more length west to east than some others, but it's still a good example. Khorvaire is huge, the scale of the continental maps makes it considerably bigger than Australia. Here's a bit of useless trivia for you, the United States, which runs from one coast to the other is just over 3000 miles across at it's widest point Unless I'm reading the scale wrong, isn't Khorvaire wider than that by about half. It doesn't seem like a long distance until you realize that most of that distance would be covered on foot or in the saddle in Eberron. The lightning rail costs too much for the common man and all of the other magical conveyances are just as expensive.
SilvercatMoonpaw 11-27-06, 08:26 AM	But almost half of Khorvaire is a land of hostile people and/or sparsely inhabited: Droaam, the Demon Wastes, the Mournland, Darguun, Valenar, Q'barra. In addition places such as the Lhazaar and the Shadow Marches don't sound that welcoming either. And the biggest problem is that this takes up most of the continent's coastline. My complaint is that Eberron does not have the sort of reachable population centers that were around in the world of the pulp stories it's supposed to be based on. Where are the Indias, Arabias, the Africas that are civilization (one city does not make it :P)? 3/4 of the world has been slapped with a "here there be danger" lable and its simply assumed that this means that it's a mysterious place the PCs can't get to and/or is immediately dangerous. And of that remaining 1/4, a significant minority is also labled "here there be danger" in the same way.
lordalm 11-27-06, 04:01 PM	Your complaint does not hold water. Not reachable population centers? What do you call the Lightning Rail. Yes it doesn't extend unbroken across the conteninet. It just means you have to take a ship or airship. All, by the way, things that came up in the afore mentioned noir and Indian Jones movies. And while the countryside of Khorvaire in the 5N is sparse in areas. Those areas not ajacent to other countries borders would be heavily developed by default being "safer" than the borders. So even though you don't see vast cities doting the maps printed don't assume thier is no one living there. Look at where I live. Iowa, there is 4 cities that stick out on the national maps. You think no one lives anywhere but those 4 cities?
SilvercatMoonpaw 11-27-06, 07:55 PM	Not reachable population centers? Eberron does not have the sort of reachable population centers, not Khorvaire. The places with most of the easy-access civilization lie in a small area relative to the rest of the planet. So even though you don't see vast cities doting the maps printed don't assume thier is no one living there. Look at where I live. Iowa, there is 4 cities that stick out on the national maps. You think no one lives anywhere but those 4 cities? I'm not assuming that no one lives there. I'm simply noting the lack of large cities, plus I'm noting the lack of Iowas that don't feel like you are going to be killed the minute you step within their borders. Look at the spread of accessable Earth civilization centers at the time the pulp stories are set in vs. what Eberron has. Two whole continents are "off limits", one is an artic wasteland (as far as I know, not having the Player's Guide), of the remaining two one has constantly been referred to me as a place where everything is trying to kill you, and on the remaining one a lot of the coastlines are places that do not seem friendly or even neutral. The main countries of Khorvairse are strangely landlocked compared to those on Earth. I simply do not feel that civiliation on Eberron is given the variety or scope of the world its inspiration came from.
lordalm 11-28-06, 02:36 PM	Eberron does not have the sort of reachable population centers, not Khorvaire. The places with most of the easy-access civilization lie in a small area relative to the rest of the planet. I'm not assuming that no one lives there. I'm simply noting the lack of large cities, plus I'm noting the lack of Iowas that don't feel like you are going to be killed the minute you step within their borders. Look at the spread of accessable Earth civilization centers at the time the pulp stories are set in vs. what Eberron has. Two whole continents are "off limits", one is an artic wasteland (as far as I know, not having the Player's Guide), of the remaining two one has constantly been referred to me as a place where everything is trying to kill you, and on the remaining one a lot of the coastlines are places that do not seem friendly or even neutral. The main countries of Khorvairse are strangely landlocked compared to those on Earth. I simply do not feel that civiliation on Eberron is given the variety or scope of the world its inspiration came from. You realize of course that Xendrix is the fantasy version of Deepest Darkest Africa right? Sarlona is the Unapproachable East. And too get to any of them all you have to do is take a boat. Kinda of like getting to Europe, Africa or the Far East prior to mass air travel. Still don't see your problem/reasoning.