First Battle of the Last War [Archive] - Wizards Community

First Battle of the Last War [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
reese
05-16-05, 04:29 PM Where? Who? How? What?

I don't think this has been published, so I'm looking for ideas.

The story is the PC's get tied up in some high powered spellcasters/artificers who have built an eldritch machine to go back to the first battle of the Last War in order to recover a similiar machine that was made 100 years ago at the location of the first battle.

With me so far?

The new machine can only go back to one date, but the old one can go to any. So obviously, they want to recover the old one to find out whats different.

To the battle.

It can be anywhere as I have not decided on a specific organization to possess the machine. It could be any size, but I think that it could be more of a skirmish if it is the first recognized act of aggression. Think Lexington during the Revolutionary War, a "Shot Heard Round the World" type deal. Other than that I'm open and ask any questions please, thank you.
Euangelion
05-16-05, 05:56 PM Where? Who? How? What?

I don't think this has been published, so I'm looking for ideas.

The story is the PC's get tied up in some high powered spellcasters/artificers who have built an eldritch machine to go back to the first battle of the Last War in order to recover a similiar machine that was made 100 years ago at the location of the first battle.

With me so far?

The new machine can only go back to one date, but the old one can go to any. So obviously, they want to recover the old one to find out whats different.

To the battle.

It can be anywhere as I have not decided on a specific organization to possess the machine. It could be any size, but I think that it could be more of a skirmish if it is the first recognized act of aggression. Think Lexington during the Revolutionary War, a "Shot Heard Round the World" type deal. Other than that I'm open and ask any questions please, thank you.

Well, I'll venture a guess and say it was somewhere in Breland, with Cyre invading Breland in an effort to force Breland into compliance with the traditional order of succession. There may have been Aundairian troops supporting Cyre also in the battle.
anarco_rata
05-16-05, 06:19 PM The story is the PC's get tied up in some high powered spellcasters/artificers who have built an eldritch machine to go back to the first battle of the Last War in order to recover a similiar machine that was made 100 years ago at the location of the first battle.

I don't know where was he first battle, but i think you should put that eldrich machine in cyre. That way you can also explain the day of mourning in your campaign, linking it to this machine. You may even be a little evil wih your players, and make THEM be the causers of the day of mourning, desroying the machine ina a wrong way...this would be a shock to them, really....i think i migth steal your idea ^^
reese
05-16-05, 09:44 PM Anarco, they are too far into the past to cause the Mourning, Cyre is strong and fighting. One of my players is a physics freak, so the time machine can move only through time and not space so I can't place it in the middle of Cyre and the first battle would not take place in the heart of Cyre anyway.

So the new machine must be in the same location of the first.
Radkres
05-16-05, 10:10 PM Time machines have to be able to move or you wind up in space.
Say you’re at point A in the present and you wish to go to point A in the past.
Your time device or event would have to cross time and space. Because were you are standing is in motion and so is the planet around its sun and that sun is moving through the galaxy and it is also in motion.
So if you had a worm hole that both openings begin and end at point A you could cross time and space with out moving the device. Other wise you have to move the device from point A present to point A past.
reese
05-17-05, 12:01 AM Time machines have to be able to move or you wind up in space.
Say you’re at point A in the present and you wish to go to point A in the past.
Your time device or event would have to cross time and space. Because were you are standing is in motion and so is the planet around its sun and that sun is moving through the galaxy and it is also in motion.
So if you had a worm hole that both openings begin and end at point A you could cross time and space with out moving the device. Other wise you have to move the device from point A present to point A past.

.... whoa. :shaking head:

that's a bit deep for me, i hate physics. just pretend it's like the movie "the time machine" and the world changes around the one spot. to make it easier. i'm talking that you wouldn't be able to use the machine in Aundair and then go back in time 50 years to some location in Q'Barra. you'd be in the same location in Audair only fifty years earlier. Probaly not how it really works but that will be the way it is.
Euangelion
05-17-05, 12:12 AM IIRC, the ECS states that eldritch machines have to be located in carefully selected areas (or maybe its the observatories, I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment), so it would make sense that the two ends of the time tunnel would be in the same geographic location.
Gurv
05-17-05, 01:05 AM IIRC, the ECS states that eldritch machines have to be located in carefully selected areas (or maybe its the observatories, I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment), so it would make sense that the two ends of the time tunnel would be in the same geographic location.
It varies from machine to machine. Some of the examples in the ECS need to be in manifest zones, for example. But they are only example ideas for eldritch machines. Eldritch machines are actually powered entirely by Pure Grade Plot Devices.

In the case of a time tunnel, having the ends in the same location would make the most sense. I think the fact of planetary motion is generally ignored in time travel stories for very good reasons.

But an interesting idea would be that if Eberron's sun (Eberrstar) is perfectly stationary, and if Eberron's orbit doesn't vary at all, then the world would pass through the same space every year. If you want to add some complexity to it, perhaps because of rotation of the planet on its axis, the location of the elditch machine (time tunnel) is only matched every 20 orbits (or 120, or whatever number you like). Only when the time tunnel is in the same place it was before is travel possible.
Radkres
05-17-05, 01:37 PM The "Time Machine H.G. Wells" the movie effect in time travel.
The device becomes time neutral it stops being effected by time but it still remains all of its physical aspects as in weight and size, mass. So the device can be carried along its time travel path by gravity along with planetary drift so you are in one place as time flickers past. Only problem with this method is the device begins a slow decent into the core of the planet. The device and the occupants begin to phase into the ground as time passes. Also this method does not protect them against area effect damage why you ask is because they are physically there just not always there they appear every fraction of a second to be pulled along with the planet they are on. Any way the physics of this work if you can get the power of a super nova to power it.
Bluebrush
05-17-05, 02:02 PM I think it may be more likely that Breland would have attacked Cyre, as they're generally characterised as one of the main agressors at the start of the war. See the ECS and Sharn sourcebook for more evidence.

Anyway, this will probably be answered in five nations. Or at least, that'll be the offical version. Go with whatever works in your game. You don't need to perfectly adhere to canon to have a good game.
reese
05-19-05, 10:47 PM thanks guys, so the battle will take place somewhere along the Breland/Cyran border. Any memorable NPC ideas or how the battle will be fought? Still looking for power groups to throw into the mix.
Euangelion
05-20-05, 12:21 AM Well, the general leading the Cyre forces could be a native of Breland who has volunteered to lead the forces to bring his homeland back into the Galifar fold. The Brelish forces could be led by one of his protegies, so that the battle is particularly hard-fought with both commanders looking to save face as well as achieve their respective military objectives. Things go from bad to worse when a stray fireball decimates a Jorasco medic unit, and both sides blame the other for the accident. Thus even when militarily the battle no longer needs to be fought, the fighting continues, each side trying to use the incident to sway Jorasco (and public opinion in general) preference to their own side. Strategically the battle is a draw, but the bitter personal animosity that quickly develops between each side will set the tone for the entire conflict.
drasticale
05-20-05, 01:11 AM Which would explain why Jorasco would heal anyone for a bit of coin.

Bravo for incorporating that... That was sheer genius.
shadowpavement
05-20-05, 08:38 AM Why do I see a strange Eberron campaign in the works somewhere that is a play on the TV show Seven Days. :P
reese
05-20-05, 04:40 PM Why do I see a strange Eberron campaign in the works somewhere that is a play on the TV show Seven Days. :P

Actually I hadn't thought of that... now I feel retarded.

Well, the general leading the Cyre forces could be a native of Breland who has volunteered to lead the forces to bring his homeland back into the Galifar fold. The Brelish forces could be led by one of his protegies, so that the battle is particularly hard-fought with both commanders looking to save face as well as achieve their respective military objectives. Things go from bad to worse when a stray fireball decimates a Jorasco medic unit, and both sides blame the other for the accident. Thus even when militarily the battle no longer needs to be fought, the fighting continues, each side trying to use the incident to sway Jorasco (and public opinion in general) preference to their own side. Strategically the battle is a draw, but the bitter personal animosity that quickly develops between each side will set the tone for the entire conflict.

But how does this destroy the machine?
Euangelion
05-21-05, 01:49 PM I didn't catch that the machine was present at the battle, I thought it was just constructed at the site of the battle. The point of the machine would be to prevent the accident that killed the Jorasco medics. Sorry for the mix-up.
reese
05-22-05, 11:36 PM no problem, it got pretty confusing.

Points:
present day re-produced time machine can only go back to one date. that of the first battle of the last war, which takes place between Breland and Cyre on Breland's initiative, probaly a small strike force for a skirmish far into Cyre

during said battle, original time machine was destroyed. original time machine can go to any date in history.

since present time machine does not work correctly, they want to go back to date original time machine was destroyed, and either prevent destruction or learn what the new machine is lacking.

return info to what could be BBEG's or use it for there own or... or... aha!!! :devil: :bigeyes: :mymy: they screw up controls... and arrive on the date of mourning... machine reacts to pervasive magical efffects left from a 100 or so years of war that wasn't there or even considered during the building of it... and blows up (after characters escape through last portal to some date?) causing the mourning!!!!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry, it's really late and i had prom last night.

--------------
still need more ideas for why the battle is being fought and some memorable NPC's. also how different would things have been 100 or so years before present time in khorvaire? would the PC's be noticed by clothing or gear that is too advanced or something.

the whole jorasco thing is awesome though and will provide another obstacle for PC's, whether helping medics or needing medics help.
Radkres
05-23-05, 12:28 AM Have you thought the reason the new machine is pulled to one date is the original core of the first machine is the core of the new machine. The reason for the new time machines inability to travel to any point and place in time is the first machine and the new machine are sharing the same time stream because they share the same core. Too keep the players from being stuck in a time loop they have to destroy the first machine themselves thus removing the inability for the new machine. Only problem with this is how the players get back from the beginning of the war to be were they first came back with the core or was it lost in the first war?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
reese 05-16-05, 04:29 PM	Where? Who? How? What? I don't think this has been published, so I'm looking for ideas. The story is the PC's get tied up in some high powered spellcasters/artificers who have built an eldritch machine to go back to the first battle of the Last War in order to recover a similiar machine that was made 100 years ago at the location of the first battle. With me so far? The new machine can only go back to one date, but the old one can go to any. So obviously, they want to recover the old one to find out whats different. To the battle. It can be anywhere as I have not decided on a specific organization to possess the machine. It could be any size, but I think that it could be more of a skirmish if it is the first recognized act of aggression. Think Lexington during the Revolutionary War, a "Shot Heard Round the World" type deal. Other than that I'm open and ask any questions please, thank you.
Euangelion 05-16-05, 05:56 PM	Where? Who? How? What? I don't think this has been published, so I'm looking for ideas. The story is the PC's get tied up in some high powered spellcasters/artificers who have built an eldritch machine to go back to the first battle of the Last War in order to recover a similiar machine that was made 100 years ago at the location of the first battle. With me so far? The new machine can only go back to one date, but the old one can go to any. So obviously, they want to recover the old one to find out whats different. To the battle. It can be anywhere as I have not decided on a specific organization to possess the machine. It could be any size, but I think that it could be more of a skirmish if it is the first recognized act of aggression. Think Lexington during the Revolutionary War, a "Shot Heard Round the World" type deal. Other than that I'm open and ask any questions please, thank you. Well, I'll venture a guess and say it was somewhere in Breland, with Cyre invading Breland in an effort to force Breland into compliance with the traditional order of succession. There may have been Aundairian troops supporting Cyre also in the battle.
anarco_rata 05-16-05, 06:19 PM	The story is the PC's get tied up in some high powered spellcasters/artificers who have built an eldritch machine to go back to the first battle of the Last War in order to recover a similiar machine that was made 100 years ago at the location of the first battle. I don't know where was he first battle, but i think you should put that eldrich machine in cyre. That way you can also explain the day of mourning in your campaign, linking it to this machine. You may even be a little evil wih your players, and make THEM be the causers of the day of mourning, desroying the machine ina a wrong way...this would be a shock to them, really....i think i migth steal your idea ^^
reese 05-16-05, 09:44 PM	Anarco, they are too far into the past to cause the Mourning, Cyre is strong and fighting. One of my players is a physics freak, so the time machine can move only through time and not space so I can't place it in the middle of Cyre and the first battle would not take place in the heart of Cyre anyway. So the new machine must be in the same location of the first.
Radkres 05-16-05, 10:10 PM	Time machines have to be able to move or you wind up in space. Say you’re at point A in the present and you wish to go to point A in the past. Your time device or event would have to cross time and space. Because were you are standing is in motion and so is the planet around its sun and that sun is moving through the galaxy and it is also in motion. So if you had a worm hole that both openings begin and end at point A you could cross time and space with out moving the device. Other wise you have to move the device from point A present to point A past.
reese 05-17-05, 12:01 AM	Time machines have to be able to move or you wind up in space. Say you’re at point A in the present and you wish to go to point A in the past. Your time device or event would have to cross time and space. Because were you are standing is in motion and so is the planet around its sun and that sun is moving through the galaxy and it is also in motion. So if you had a worm hole that both openings begin and end at point A you could cross time and space with out moving the device. Other wise you have to move the device from point A present to point A past. .... whoa. :shaking head: that's a bit deep for me, i hate physics. just pretend it's like the movie "the time machine" and the world changes around the one spot. to make it easier. i'm talking that you wouldn't be able to use the machine in Aundair and then go back in time 50 years to some location in Q'Barra. you'd be in the same location in Audair only fifty years earlier. Probaly not how it really works but that will be the way it is.
Euangelion 05-17-05, 12:12 AM	IIRC, the ECS states that eldritch machines have to be located in carefully selected areas (or maybe its the observatories, I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment), so it would make sense that the two ends of the time tunnel would be in the same geographic location.
Gurv 05-17-05, 01:05 AM	IIRC, the ECS states that eldritch machines have to be located in carefully selected areas (or maybe its the observatories, I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment), so it would make sense that the two ends of the time tunnel would be in the same geographic location. It varies from machine to machine. Some of the examples in the ECS need to be in manifest zones, for example. But they are only example ideas for eldritch machines. Eldritch machines are actually powered entirely by Pure Grade Plot Devices. In the case of a time tunnel, having the ends in the same location would make the most sense. I think the fact of planetary motion is generally ignored in time travel stories for very good reasons. But an interesting idea would be that if Eberron's sun (Eberrstar) is perfectly stationary, and if Eberron's orbit doesn't vary at all, then the world would pass through the same space every year. If you want to add some complexity to it, perhaps because of rotation of the planet on its axis, the location of the elditch machine (time tunnel) is only matched every 20 orbits (or 120, or whatever number you like). Only when the time tunnel is in the same place it was before is travel possible.
Radkres 05-17-05, 01:37 PM	The "Time Machine H.G. Wells" the movie effect in time travel. The device becomes time neutral it stops being effected by time but it still remains all of its physical aspects as in weight and size, mass. So the device can be carried along its time travel path by gravity along with planetary drift so you are in one place as time flickers past. Only problem with this method is the device begins a slow decent into the core of the planet. The device and the occupants begin to phase into the ground as time passes. Also this method does not protect them against area effect damage why you ask is because they are physically there just not always there they appear every fraction of a second to be pulled along with the planet they are on. Any way the physics of this work if you can get the power of a super nova to power it.
Bluebrush 05-17-05, 02:02 PM	I think it may be more likely that Breland would have attacked Cyre, as they're generally characterised as one of the main agressors at the start of the war. See the ECS and Sharn sourcebook for more evidence. Anyway, this will probably be answered in five nations. Or at least, that'll be the offical version. Go with whatever works in your game. You don't need to perfectly adhere to canon to have a good game.
reese 05-19-05, 10:47 PM	thanks guys, so the battle will take place somewhere along the Breland/Cyran border. Any memorable NPC ideas or how the battle will be fought? Still looking for power groups to throw into the mix.
Euangelion 05-20-05, 12:21 AM	Well, the general leading the Cyre forces could be a native of Breland who has volunteered to lead the forces to bring his homeland back into the Galifar fold. The Brelish forces could be led by one of his protegies, so that the battle is particularly hard-fought with both commanders looking to save face as well as achieve their respective military objectives. Things go from bad to worse when a stray fireball decimates a Jorasco medic unit, and both sides blame the other for the accident. Thus even when militarily the battle no longer needs to be fought, the fighting continues, each side trying to use the incident to sway Jorasco (and public opinion in general) preference to their own side. Strategically the battle is a draw, but the bitter personal animosity that quickly develops between each side will set the tone for the entire conflict.
drasticale 05-20-05, 01:11 AM	Which would explain why Jorasco would heal anyone for a bit of coin. Bravo for incorporating that... That was sheer genius.
shadowpavement 05-20-05, 08:38 AM	Why do I see a strange Eberron campaign in the works somewhere that is a play on the TV show Seven Days. :P
reese 05-20-05, 04:40 PM	Why do I see a strange Eberron campaign in the works somewhere that is a play on the TV show Seven Days. :P Actually I hadn't thought of that... now I feel retarded. Well, the general leading the Cyre forces could be a native of Breland who has volunteered to lead the forces to bring his homeland back into the Galifar fold. The Brelish forces could be led by one of his protegies, so that the battle is particularly hard-fought with both commanders looking to save face as well as achieve their respective military objectives. Things go from bad to worse when a stray fireball decimates a Jorasco medic unit, and both sides blame the other for the accident. Thus even when militarily the battle no longer needs to be fought, the fighting continues, each side trying to use the incident to sway Jorasco (and public opinion in general) preference to their own side. Strategically the battle is a draw, but the bitter personal animosity that quickly develops between each side will set the tone for the entire conflict. But how does this destroy the machine?
Euangelion 05-21-05, 01:49 PM	I didn't catch that the machine was present at the battle, I thought it was just constructed at the site of the battle. The point of the machine would be to prevent the accident that killed the Jorasco medics. Sorry for the mix-up.
reese 05-22-05, 11:36 PM	no problem, it got pretty confusing. Points: present day re-produced time machine can only go back to one date. that of the first battle of the last war, which takes place between Breland and Cyre on Breland's initiative, probaly a small strike force for a skirmish far into Cyre during said battle, original time machine was destroyed. original time machine can go to any date in history. since present time machine does not work correctly, they want to go back to date original time machine was destroyed, and either prevent destruction or learn what the new machine is lacking. return info to what could be BBEG's or use it for there own or... or... aha!!! :devil: :bigeyes: :mymy: they screw up controls... and arrive on the date of mourning... machine reacts to pervasive magical efffects left from a 100 or so years of war that wasn't there or even considered during the building of it... and blows up (after characters escape through last portal to some date?) causing the mourning!!!!!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry, it's really late and i had prom last night. -------------- still need more ideas for why the battle is being fought and some memorable NPC's. also how different would things have been 100 or so years before present time in khorvaire? would the PC's be noticed by clothing or gear that is too advanced or something. the whole jorasco thing is awesome though and will provide another obstacle for PC's, whether helping medics or needing medics help.
Radkres 05-23-05, 12:28 AM	Have you thought the reason the new machine is pulled to one date is the original core of the first machine is the core of the new machine. The reason for the new time machines inability to travel to any point and place in time is the first machine and the new machine are sharing the same time stream because they share the same core. Too keep the players from being stuck in a time loop they have to destroy the first machine themselves thus removing the inability for the new machine. Only problem with this is how the players get back from the beginning of the war to be were they first came back with the core or was it lost in the first war?