First Ebberron Campain [Archive] - Wizards Community

First Ebberron Campain [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Krevon
05-09-05, 11:09 PM I am going to start out running the adventure in the back of the ECS so the characters can get their foot in the door so to speak. I am thinking about planting an idea about owning a buisness in Sharn and begin working everything from there. So as an added bonus to the reward I would like to add a deed to a shop in one of the lower sections of the ciry, do you think this is reasonable or is it a bit much?
Edymnion
05-09-05, 11:52 PM If you want to get the group eased into Eberron, don't start in Sharn. Thats jumping in the deep end.

I suggest you use the old literary device and have the players start out in some backwater farm town, that don't know much about the world except whats in the immediant area. That way, everything new to the players will also be new to the characters. Its the same way writers help introduce the world to the reader, by having them experience it for the first time as the character does.
Captain Zom
05-10-05, 01:20 AM If you want to get the group eased into Eberron, don't start in Sharn. Thats jumping in the deep end.

I suggest you use the old literary device and have the players start out in some backwater farm town, that don't know much about the world except whats in the immediant area. That way, everything new to the players will also be new to the characters. Its the same way writers help introduce the world to the reader, by having them experience it for the first time as the character does.

Yeah, I did that with my first campaign too, just reveal stuff as they go along. Easy and fun, they learn a lot more that way, I think.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple
05-10-05, 01:39 AM Only reason I'm starting in Sharn is because I've been educating my players for two months on Eberron while they've been making their characters (they've had ample time thanks to schedule conflict). The only other way I'd start a campaign in Sharn for new players is if the players started out as children in an orphanage with a demented Cleric of the Silver Flame telling them they're bad children and they'll always BE bad or their parents wouldn't be dead, and doing his best to shelter them from the real world.

I'd have to say you'd be better off starting in the Lhazaar Principalities. Each of the core races could be found there, and same goes for the races of Eberron (though a Warforged or a Kalashtar would take some serious explaining). Beyond that, they're fairly backwater in terms of their connection to the Five Nations, but they each have a rich culture all their own. Even the legal system varies from principality to principality, so you can gradually reveal tidbits about the Mainland while still allowing the players to explore a wide variety of rich cultures.

Though I REALLY want to DM a campaign of intrigue in the Embassy of Sarlona in Sharn one of these days...
Krevon
05-10-05, 09:39 PM I will start it in Eledeen Reaches, One of the characters uncle is going to pass away and leave his shop to his nephew. There will be a Warforged pc, so I will make the courier of the body and the legal document of inhertance to the rest of the group.

Then they will have to go to one of the border towns to get traveling papers, I am thinking about either harassing them with Ashbound Druids or have a lone Ranger ask for help with Goblins cutting the darkwood forest. Also the guy wanting to play a warfored wants to be a barbarian, so that would put him being created recently so it will be something I can use later on.
KP91
05-10-05, 10:15 PM I will start it in Eledeen Reaches, One of the characters uncle is going to pass away and leave his shop to his nephew. There will be a Warforged pc, so I will make the courier of the body and the legal document of inhertance to the rest of the group.

Then they will have to go to one of the border towns to get traveling papers, I am thinking about either harassing them with Ashbound Druids or have a lone Ranger ask for help with Goblins cutting the darkwood forest. Also the guy wanting to play a warfored wants to be a barbarian, so that would put him being created recently so it will be something I can use later on.
Ooooo. I like this. If I get time I'm stealing and using it.
PoeticJustice
05-10-05, 10:30 PM I would recommend First Tower, the thorpe on the outskirts of Sharn. That way, yuo're still clost everything that makes adventuring easy, are still in the protective cosmoplitan domain of Breland, and, when you describe Sharn from a distance, there's going to be at least one player that inevitably says "ooh, cool city, I'm gonna check that out." then you have an excuse to gradually introduce them to Sharn, which will springboard other adventures
anarco_rata
05-10-05, 10:46 PM Or you can always play the forgotten forge and then keep on going with the other three adventures...shadows of the last war, whisper of the vampire blade and grasp of the emerald claw
Edymnion
05-11-05, 12:36 AM Or you can always play the forgotten forge and then keep on going with the other three adventures...shadows of the last war, whisper of the vampire blade and grasp of the emerald clawExcept those are rather flat in the flavor department, and have a good deal of railroading in them...
PsionicMonk
05-11-05, 04:15 AM I noticed that, first your in Sharn then your going off intot he morunlands at lvl 2, not exactly a cake walk i say
garner_adam
05-11-05, 04:17 AM I will start it in Eledeen Reaches, One of the characters uncle is going to pass away and leave his shop to his nephew.

So what sort of shop is being left behind? And out of curiousity how is this important to the adventure or rather... isn't being a shop owner counter productive to adventuring? :confused:
Krevon
05-11-05, 02:18 PM Ummm......how about having to adventure to provid items to sell, maybe a shop that sells weapons and artifacts.
Vharuck
05-11-05, 02:36 PM Except those are rather flat in the flavor department, and have a good deal of railroading in them...

Which is always a problem when using pre-written adventures. They're easier to implement, but if the characters deviate fromt them you either have to railroad (no fun for anyone) or accept that you just spent some hard-earned cash on a book you'll never use.
Krevon
05-11-05, 06:47 PM i am able to wing it if players get off track and still turn them subtly in the right direction. Ya know let them think they've made all the decisions (evil laugh)
Grabuto
05-12-05, 11:23 AM If you want to get the group eased into Eberron, don't start in Sharn. Thats jumping in the deep end.

I'd start in Sharn since if you own the City of Towers it will be easier for you. But, start in a particular district and keep that action there. I started in Dura. The party never had to leave Dura for the first few adventures. I have been slowely exposing them to other districts as my knowledge and their interest dictate. So far though, they have gone to another district, gotten a slight feel for it, and then returned to Dura.
Krevon
05-13-05, 02:30 PM The part will start at First Tower, they've seen and heard of Sharn, but never been there. I am going to go with the uncle dieing and leacing them a buisness to support / pay off debts.
garner_adam
05-14-05, 01:03 AM :confused: So this shop is in Sharn? If so what sort of shop did the character's uncle run?
Krevon
05-14-05, 09:05 PM i would like him to be an inquisitor for hire, two people have made their characters for it. one is a CG necromancer. how i am writting this in is his uncle had a disease that rotts flesh and while he was studying magic he looked to necromancy for the answers to the disease but was unable to come up with something in time.

I have to read more on the districts to tell what shop it is. If it is possible I will let the PC's choose what they want to sell and go about making the preperations to get the merchandise.
KP91
05-14-05, 11:22 PM :confused: So this shop is in Sharn? If so what sort of shop did the character's uncle run?
Would it matter? The PCs can just change the shop.
drasticale
05-14-05, 11:38 PM Depending on the style of shop... yes.

Inquisitor's office... Not specifically.
Barrister's office, most definitely.

But, even saying that it was a normal general store of sorts... Any foothold in Sharn would be nice, especially if the characters have to deal with different places, as they deal with the barrister that oversaw the will; and as they deal with suppliers that are wondering if they need to continue sending items.

It may seem unimportant, but this could be a very interesting way to get people used to the hustle and bustle of Sharn... And nothing tells you how big Sharn is, then letting your characters know that to get from Middle Dura to Upper Dura takes them a half hour.

Just don't have it raining all the time... that was my only irk with the pre-made campaigns.
garner_adam
05-15-05, 01:36 AM Well since the character's uncle was an inquisitor he likely had a secretary at his office while he was away/busy. Now that he's dead this displaced employee might make a great NPC that could help the characters around Sharn and the dealings of running the business. :D

Even if the players don't take up the detective role like the previous business owner they'd still likely find this person to be very handy and it'd give them more links to the character background.

If I had to choose I'd likely have the secretary be a grumpy old man that was seemingly efficient at getting rid of people who didn't have serious investigative work. :evillaugh
Krevon
05-15-05, 01:55 PM Thats great,like Dana Carvey's grumpy old man character from Saturday Night Live!
Krevon
05-15-05, 05:25 PM Story so far:
The PC's play their trade in the thorpe of First Tower. They's seen all the traffic to and from Sharn and lived in it's shadow all their lives, hearing rumors about that happenings there but not really affeting them in any way.

The wizrads father contracts a disease that healers can't seem to cure so his son turns to necromancy in his studies. A warforged (also a pc)shows up one day with a body in tow on a floating disk and infoms him of his uncles death and a letter from a barrister requesting that he come to finalize his will.
garner_adam
05-16-05, 12:31 AM :confused: The warforged is the one with the uncle!? I was pretty sure they were made in creation forges...
Krevon
05-16-05, 12:34 AM Haha, no.....he was a freind of the uncle and he is bringing the body to the family.
Rechan
05-16-05, 01:28 AM Woops, meant to create new thread.
Krevon
05-16-05, 02:27 PM Is there anything about travel times between districts?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Krevon 05-09-05, 11:09 PM	I am going to start out running the adventure in the back of the ECS so the characters can get their foot in the door so to speak. I am thinking about planting an idea about owning a buisness in Sharn and begin working everything from there. So as an added bonus to the reward I would like to add a deed to a shop in one of the lower sections of the ciry, do you think this is reasonable or is it a bit much?
Edymnion 05-09-05, 11:52 PM	If you want to get the group eased into Eberron, don't start in Sharn. Thats jumping in the deep end. I suggest you use the old literary device and have the players start out in some backwater farm town, that don't know much about the world except whats in the immediant area. That way, everything new to the players will also be new to the characters. Its the same way writers help introduce the world to the reader, by having them experience it for the first time as the character does.
Captain Zom 05-10-05, 01:20 AM	If you want to get the group eased into Eberron, don't start in Sharn. Thats jumping in the deep end. I suggest you use the old literary device and have the players start out in some backwater farm town, that don't know much about the world except whats in the immediant area. That way, everything new to the players will also be new to the characters. Its the same way writers help introduce the world to the reader, by having them experience it for the first time as the character does. Yeah, I did that with my first campaign too, just reveal stuff as they go along. Easy and fun, they learn a lot more that way, I think.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 05-10-05, 01:39 AM	Only reason I'm starting in Sharn is because I've been educating my players for two months on Eberron while they've been making their characters (they've had ample time thanks to schedule conflict). The only other way I'd start a campaign in Sharn for new players is if the players started out as children in an orphanage with a demented Cleric of the Silver Flame telling them they're bad children and they'll always BE bad or their parents wouldn't be dead, and doing his best to shelter them from the real world. I'd have to say you'd be better off starting in the Lhazaar Principalities. Each of the core races could be found there, and same goes for the races of Eberron (though a Warforged or a Kalashtar would take some serious explaining). Beyond that, they're fairly backwater in terms of their connection to the Five Nations, but they each have a rich culture all their own. Even the legal system varies from principality to principality, so you can gradually reveal tidbits about the Mainland while still allowing the players to explore a wide variety of rich cultures. Though I REALLY want to DM a campaign of intrigue in the Embassy of Sarlona in Sharn one of these days...
Krevon 05-10-05, 09:39 PM	I will start it in Eledeen Reaches, One of the characters uncle is going to pass away and leave his shop to his nephew. There will be a Warforged pc, so I will make the courier of the body and the legal document of inhertance to the rest of the group. Then they will have to go to one of the border towns to get traveling papers, I am thinking about either harassing them with Ashbound Druids or have a lone Ranger ask for help with Goblins cutting the darkwood forest. Also the guy wanting to play a warfored wants to be a barbarian, so that would put him being created recently so it will be something I can use later on.
KP91 05-10-05, 10:15 PM	I will start it in Eledeen Reaches, One of the characters uncle is going to pass away and leave his shop to his nephew. There will be a Warforged pc, so I will make the courier of the body and the legal document of inhertance to the rest of the group. Then they will have to go to one of the border towns to get traveling papers, I am thinking about either harassing them with Ashbound Druids or have a lone Ranger ask for help with Goblins cutting the darkwood forest. Also the guy wanting to play a warfored wants to be a barbarian, so that would put him being created recently so it will be something I can use later on. Ooooo. I like this. If I get time I'm stealing and using it.
PoeticJustice 05-10-05, 10:30 PM	I would recommend First Tower, the thorpe on the outskirts of Sharn. That way, yuo're still clost everything that makes adventuring easy, are still in the protective cosmoplitan domain of Breland, and, when you describe Sharn from a distance, there's going to be at least one player that inevitably says "ooh, cool city, I'm gonna check that out." then you have an excuse to gradually introduce them to Sharn, which will springboard other adventures
anarco_rata 05-10-05, 10:46 PM	Or you can always play the forgotten forge and then keep on going with the other three adventures...shadows of the last war, whisper of the vampire blade and grasp of the emerald claw
Edymnion 05-11-05, 12:36 AM	Or you can always play the forgotten forge and then keep on going with the other three adventures...shadows of the last war, whisper of the vampire blade and grasp of the emerald clawExcept those are rather flat in the flavor department, and have a good deal of railroading in them...
PsionicMonk 05-11-05, 04:15 AM	I noticed that, first your in Sharn then your going off intot he morunlands at lvl 2, not exactly a cake walk i say
garner_adam 05-11-05, 04:17 AM	I will start it in Eledeen Reaches, One of the characters uncle is going to pass away and leave his shop to his nephew. So what sort of shop is being left behind? And out of curiousity how is this important to the adventure or rather... isn't being a shop owner counter productive to adventuring? :confused:
Krevon 05-11-05, 02:18 PM	Ummm......how about having to adventure to provid items to sell, maybe a shop that sells weapons and artifacts.
Vharuck 05-11-05, 02:36 PM	Except those are rather flat in the flavor department, and have a good deal of railroading in them... Which is always a problem when using pre-written adventures. They're easier to implement, but if the characters deviate fromt them you either have to railroad (no fun for anyone) or accept that you just spent some hard-earned cash on a book you'll never use.
Krevon 05-11-05, 06:47 PM	i am able to wing it if players get off track and still turn them subtly in the right direction. Ya know let them think they've made all the decisions (evil laugh)
Grabuto 05-12-05, 11:23 AM	If you want to get the group eased into Eberron, don't start in Sharn. Thats jumping in the deep end. I'd start in Sharn since if you own the City of Towers it will be easier for you. But, start in a particular district and keep that action there. I started in Dura. The party never had to leave Dura for the first few adventures. I have been slowely exposing them to other districts as my knowledge and their interest dictate. So far though, they have gone to another district, gotten a slight feel for it, and then returned to Dura.
Krevon 05-13-05, 02:30 PM	The part will start at First Tower, they've seen and heard of Sharn, but never been there. I am going to go with the uncle dieing and leacing them a buisness to support / pay off debts.
garner_adam 05-14-05, 01:03 AM	:confused: So this shop is in Sharn? If so what sort of shop did the character's uncle run?
Krevon 05-14-05, 09:05 PM	i would like him to be an inquisitor for hire, two people have made their characters for it. one is a CG necromancer. how i am writting this in is his uncle had a disease that rotts flesh and while he was studying magic he looked to necromancy for the answers to the disease but was unable to come up with something in time. I have to read more on the districts to tell what shop it is. If it is possible I will let the PC's choose what they want to sell and go about making the preperations to get the merchandise.
KP91 05-14-05, 11:22 PM	:confused: So this shop is in Sharn? If so what sort of shop did the character's uncle run? Would it matter? The PCs can just change the shop.
drasticale 05-14-05, 11:38 PM	Depending on the style of shop... yes. Inquisitor's office... Not specifically. Barrister's office, most definitely. But, even saying that it was a normal general store of sorts... Any foothold in Sharn would be nice, especially if the characters have to deal with different places, as they deal with the barrister that oversaw the will; and as they deal with suppliers that are wondering if they need to continue sending items. It may seem unimportant, but this could be a very interesting way to get people used to the hustle and bustle of Sharn... And nothing tells you how big Sharn is, then letting your characters know that to get from Middle Dura to Upper Dura takes them a half hour. Just don't have it raining all the time... that was my only irk with the pre-made campaigns.
garner_adam 05-15-05, 01:36 AM	Well since the character's uncle was an inquisitor he likely had a secretary at his office while he was away/busy. Now that he's dead this displaced employee might make a great NPC that could help the characters around Sharn and the dealings of running the business. :D Even if the players don't take up the detective role like the previous business owner they'd still likely find this person to be very handy and it'd give them more links to the character background. If I had to choose I'd likely have the secretary be a grumpy old man that was seemingly efficient at getting rid of people who didn't have serious investigative work. :evillaugh
Krevon 05-15-05, 01:55 PM	Thats great,like Dana Carvey's grumpy old man character from Saturday Night Live!
Krevon 05-15-05, 05:25 PM	Story so far: The PC's play their trade in the thorpe of First Tower. They's seen all the traffic to and from Sharn and lived in it's shadow all their lives, hearing rumors about that happenings there but not really affeting them in any way. The wizrads father contracts a disease that healers can't seem to cure so his son turns to necromancy in his studies. A warforged (also a pc)shows up one day with a body in tow on a floating disk and infoms him of his uncles death and a letter from a barrister requesting that he come to finalize his will.
garner_adam 05-16-05, 12:31 AM	:confused: The warforged is the one with the uncle!? I was pretty sure they were made in creation forges...
Krevon 05-16-05, 12:34 AM	Haha, no.....he was a freind of the uncle and he is bringing the body to the family.
Rechan 05-16-05, 01:28 AM	Woops, meant to create new thread.
Krevon 05-16-05, 02:27 PM	Is there anything about travel times between districts?