Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Charles Phipps 01-29-06, 03:31 PM	Hey, Keith Baker has established that Eberron is never going to move foreward in time (a big mistake in my opinion but its his setting) so I'm interested in basically constructing a timeline somewhat like Forgotten RealmsTM for the next ten years of game time. Basically, follow your idea of tendencies in the current power structure or give ideas of things to come and we'll see what sticks. ;-)
nastynate 01-29-06, 03:51 PM	The big problem with advancing the timeline, is the lack of information present within the setting. You cannot realistically move forward until you know the current world in it's full capacity. We've got no idea what's going on in Sarlona or Argonessen. We really don't know enough about the details of Vol's plans, or the Dragonmarked Houses, or the Lord of Blades. Everything is at an uneasy stalemate at the moment, and numerous factions have objectives and agendas. 1. Who's going to act first? 2. How will the other parties react? 3. Will war resume? The setting is set up with such a tenuous balance that the whole world could change, with a little nudge. Advancing the timeline could potentially completely invalidate the majority of the published material thusfar. Borders could shift, warforged could go back into production, the Inspired could make a more agressive move, another nation could be destroyed, the dragons could intervene again...the list goes on and on, but suffice to say, I think we need to take baby steps for now. I suggest maintaining the current situation as it is, and use subtle intrigue, manipulation, and rebuilding as the basis of the next five to ten years in Khorvaire. Nobody should be willing to take any bold action, until they know what happened to Cyre...unless they have a death wish to suffer the same fate. :D
AaronR 01-29-06, 04:02 PM	I never really thought of it as moving forward in time. I usually just used the novels presented for any setting to get a feel for how the world moved forward and evolved. I might do the same with some of the Eberron novels that are out right now. I agree though that realistically the world is on the top of a pin right now and without much effort at all could teeter one way or the next into warfare or destruction in one way shape or form.
Charles Phipps 01-29-06, 04:04 PM	The setting is set up with such a tenuous balance that the whole world could change, with a little nudge. Advancing the timeline could potentially completely invalidate the majority of the published material thusfar. Borders could shift, warforged could go back into production, the Inspired could make a more agressive move, another nation could be destroyed, the dragons could intervene again...the list goes on and on, but suffice to say, I think we need to take baby steps for now. I suggest maintaining the current situation as it is, and use subtle intrigue, manipulation, and rebuilding as the basis of the next five to ten years in Khorvaire. Nobody should be willing to take any bold action, until they know what happened to Cyre...unless they have a death wish to suffer the same fate. :D Well that hardly helps my situation where my players deliberately ask how long its been since X adventure and how the geopolitical situation has changed in the campaign since then. I furthermore don't think that the world is in quite such a tenacious balance as you imply it could be. Certainly, many things could change but like in real life I tend to think they'll either happen individually or in related clusters where its entirely possible to track them. I don't want to say "All quiet on the Western front" because that's not believable I do think though we basically do know what's going on in Sarlona though. Evil AfootTM. Argonessan is supposed to be mysterious.
(Psi)SeveredHead 01-29-06, 10:19 PM	I don't want to say "All quiet on the Western front" because that's not believable Skirmishes are believable. So are stalemates. So are wars between two countries, rather than, say, four or more. In fact, you as GM are supposed to advance the setting yourself. If you want to blow it up, it's your own business.
Setherial 01-30-06, 07:30 AM	I hope it never moves forward! A campaign setting should be a base to build upon and we as DMs will create our own timeline and series of events that occur from the point the campaing setting starts to the current time. If source material runs parallel with your own world it will be difficult to keep the two together. You will fear messing up the timeline and not be able to use new published material anymore. If the campaign setting just expands its information about what is already there at the time the setting starts we don't have to worry, we can take the setting any where we want. Also Eberron is more focussed at the past then the future, there is so much in that past that we don't know yet and to me that past is way more exciting then any future could be... then again I never liked forgotten realms
Parion 01-30-06, 02:56 PM	I'm kinda glad of this. Means I don't have to worry about diparities between my eberron and the official :) ... The Mourning was caused by the Silver Flame! It's INSANE!!! MUAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! :evillaugh
Subedei 01-30-06, 03:55 PM	We'll here's the problem: In Forgotten Realms the PCs generally aren't important - It's powerful NPC like Elminster and Drizzt that make the world move. In Eberron there are powerful organizations and influential people, sure, but the idea behind Eberron's whole theme is that the PCs are in some way central to what is to happen. How could they possibly construct a timeline or ongoing story without the PCs? If you want a timeline like that just set the campaign 100 years ago, plenty of story written, plenty of NPCs making it move =)
Charles Phipps 01-30-06, 05:56 PM	We'll here's the problem: In Forgotten Realms the PCs generally aren't important - It's powerful NPC like Elminster and Drizzt that make the world move. In Eberron there are powerful organizations and influential people, sure, but the idea behind Eberron's whole theme is that the PCs are in some way central to what is to happen. How could they possibly construct a timeline or ongoing story without the PCs? If you want a timeline like that just set the campaign 100 years ago, plenty of story written, plenty of NPCs making it move =) No, then the PCs wouldn't be able to influence events. It would cheat them out of their world shaking ability. Honestly, the PCs won't be EVERYWHERE so events out of their hands should work. Projected ideas include... 990- King Kaius is overthrown by an alliance of the warlords whom nevertheless start turning on each other before he's finished off and the situation in karrnath degenerates. The warlords immediately reunite to repulse any invasion and both Thrane/Valenar decide to leave them to their civil war. (Keith practically confirmed this is how he thinks Karrnath will go) 991- Merrix D'Cannith successfully brings all of House Cannith under his control. Well....he's just THAT good. 992- I imagine the attack on Thaliost and Eldeen Reaches. It's possible Aurala will disavow the Thaliost attack if it fails though.