Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Errant 06-13-06, 12:20 AM	Well, after battling through some heavily modified adventures the heroes are nearing 16th level and approaching the end of their current campaign arc. I'm hoping someone can give me some inspiration for where to take things from here. The campaign to date has been a modified version of the first adventure path series from Dungeon (Cauldron was moved to an island between Khorvaire and Xen'drik among other things). The PCs currently consist of a Thranish exorcist of the silver flame, an Aundairan wizard, an Aundairan sorcerer, an Eldeen Reaches barbarian, and a House Denieth (Blademarks) fighter. At present, they're fighting their way through the Cagewrights' stronghold trying to locate and close a portal they have openned to Xoriat, while fiends of all kinds fall from a magical cloud over the remnants of Cauldron. Cauldron's survivors have sought refuge in nearby Red Gorge where the local guards have been reinforced by forces from across Khorvaire. The PCs' careers have so far been in the fringes of civilized Khorvaire and they're relatively unknown despite their power. The plan is that if/when they "save the world" from a planar invasion the PCs will become celebrated heroes, central figures in special editions of the Korranberg Chronicle across Khorvaire, and so on. The campaign will fast-forward a few months to where, because of their fame, the PCs will have been able to choose from offers of land, titles and influence from a variety of groups. I'd like to draft some handouts describing various offers to the individual PCs' players so they get to choose their new positions in life. I'd also like to steer the campaign into the heartlands of Eberron/Khorvaire thematically as well as geographically by introducing hooks involving The Chamber, The Lords of Dust and the Draconic Prophecy. Unfortunately, while titles and influence seem almost inevitable for L16+ PCs in Eberron, and I have visions of the PCs fighting demon lords and/alongside powerful dragons, I'm coming up blank on specifics at the moment. Any suggestions on offers to the PCs and/or plot hooks would be hugely appreciated. :bigeyes:
DarkWarriorKarg 06-13-06, 12:25 AM	You might want to pick up Power of Faerun. Excellent tips on high-level adventuring.
sag3 06-13-06, 01:31 AM	After such a interplanar victory the the gatekeeper druids will give thanks for there efforts. Such publicity renoun could resoult in some very jelous people in position of power. Offers of boons and land would most likely be given by those who seek to gain the PC's in their employ. Also consider why should the heros be celibrated, some people might think the heros where the cause of the whole thing. It is likely your exorcist would be given some boon an audiance with the keeper of the silver flame could be enough (and a favor 18th level cleric favors are very hard to come by in Ebbron). Aundarian wizard and sorcerer might gain some note in the floating castles of Arcanix and Arcane congress. The dragon prophecy plot thread this could bring the force of Mosaic committee into play. The majority of the house Denieth blademarks glory would end up on house Denieth not in personal glory (there would be personal glory with in house Denieth). The Eldeen Reaches barbarian could rather than get personal glory could high light the problems between the Aundarian boarder and the Reaches. After fighting such an interplanar battle some kalashtar might seek out the champions to aid them against the Quori. A dragon druid (gatekeeper) may seek them out with a part of the dragon prophecy. Perhaps one of the lines is "Those who face madness are the only ones who can quest into the heart of the dragon below and return with the knowledge of sanity." The dragon requests the aid of the adventures to seek out the underworld/Deamon wastes in search of knowledge spoken about. If the underworld of Khyber doesnt seem like the way to take it, make it the Mornlands. Limiting healing makes a massive impact on high level adventuring. Just a few ideas. I would remind you that level does not equal a position of power in eberron politics is a powerful force as any high level adventure.
Just another user 06-13-06, 03:20 AM	After such a interplanar victory the the gatekeeper druids will give thanks for there efforts. Such publicity renoun could resoult in some very jelous people in position of power. Offers of boons and land would most likely be given by those who seek to gain the PC's in their employ. Also consider why should the heros be celibrated, some people might think the heros where the cause of the whole thing. Hey, that is a nice idea, Think to a NPCs like Spiderman's J. Jonah Jameson, a journal editor/publisher that is actively against adventurers ("Adventurers. Threat or menace?") expecially high level ones, even for good, if a little biased, reasons, that would be a good antagonist for a eberron campaign.
Errant 06-13-06, 03:50 AM	After such a interplanar victory the the gatekeeper druids will give thanks for there efforts. I've drafted an update for when the PCs emerge from the Cagewrights' stronghold (they've been out of touch with the ongoing battles while they work their way in) and the gatekeepers are already mentioned as amongst those that respond to the crisis. :) Such publicity renoun could resoult in some very jelous people in position of power. Offers of boons and land would most likely be given by those who seek to gain the PC's in their employ. Hadn't thoguht of jealous rivals, but I figured offers being tied to gaining the PCs' employ was a given. Also consider why should the heros be celibrated, some people might think the heros where the cause of the whole thing. We skipped some of the adventure path and the PCs returned from a side-adventure to aid the defense of Red Gorge when the whole portal/demon-dropping cloud happened so very few are likely to believe them the cause. It is likely your exorcist would be given some boon an audiance with the keeper of the silver flame could be enough (and a favor 18th level cleric favors are very hard to come by in Ebbron). I was trying to think of something Jaela would ask the exorcist to do, but thanks and a promised favor are a good idea too. Aundarian wizard and sorcerer might gain some note in the floating castles of Arcanix and Arcane congress. The dragon prophecy plot thread this could bring the force of Mosaic committee into play. I was thinking of offering instructor/masters positions as part of the Arcane Congress. Bringing in the Mosaic Committee is an excellent idea, perfect for bringing the PCs into conflict/contact with The Chamber etc. Exactly the kind of idea I was looking for, thanks! The majority of the house Denieth blademarks glory would end up on house Denieth not in personal glory (there would be personal glory with in house Denieth). I figured as much. The Blademarks angle might have to be background detail. I doubt the dragonmarked Blademark captain (he has the leadership feat so already has some rank) would get a lot of outside offers, but his new fame will help balance the bad rep his CG alignment/habits have given him. The Eldeen Reaches barbarian could rather than get personal glory could high light the problems between the Aundarian boarder and the Reaches. I was thinking about offers from House Orien to help them broaden their influence in the region but border disputes works well too. Cool. After fighting such an interplanar battle some kalashtar might seek out the champions to aid them against the Quori. I pondered bringing in the Dreaming Dark, but I'm not sure how to do that subtly. I didn't think of an approach from an Adaran(?) Kalashtar agent. A dragon druid (gatekeeper) may seek them out with a part of the dragon prophecy. Perhaps one of the lines is "Those who face madness are the only ones who can quest into the heart of the dragon below and return with the knowledge of sanity." An excellent idea & a good chance to put in some cross-motivation if the Eldeen Reacher gets the request from a gatekeeper while the Aundairans get a similar request from the Mosaic Committee acting on the same prophecy fragment... Just a few ideas. I would remind you that level does not equal a position of power in eberron politics is a powerful force as any high level adventure. I am sensitive to the different between level & power, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded. Think to a NPCs like Spiderman's J. Jonah Jameson, a journal editor/publisher that is actively against adventurers ("Adventurers. Threat or menace?") Another cool idea! I was just going to make it a given the special editions would be favorable, but I'll see how the PCs respond to the Chronicle reporters' attentions now. Nothing like suggestions from fellow fans of the setting to get feed your creative processes. Thanks! :cool:
Bocamb 06-13-06, 10:21 AM	It's very possible that you've already sent your party in this direction, but there MUST be some sort of wonky stuff going on behind the gray mists in Mournland. If you're interested in bringing in the Quori, why not have it that the Inspired have dominated the Lord of Blades and are using him and his army to build large psychic generators to pull Dal Quor into orbit. Since divinations can't pierce the gray mists and since psionic healing works while natural and magical healing does not (I recall reading this in 5N), the Inspired would be at an advantage over your party. I'm certain the Keeper of the Flame would be most interested in sending an exorcist in to deal with the threat... Of course, the few remaining Night Hags in Eberron have decided to wage a turf war with the other creatures of nightmare (the Quori) - and they've made a deal with a cabal composed of Lords of Dust. Understanding that they are ill-equipped, the LoD and the Night Hags have turned to the Daughters of Sora Kell for clues as to the whereabouts of Sora Kell's prison, whom I imagine is of Rajah power (I'm using the stats for the Hag Countess in the Book of Vile Darkness in my own campaign). And if you're interested in using the jealous rivals hooks already offered, you could have the rivals shoving money under the PC's noses to take up the task. The Arcane Congress would also be interested, I'm certain, in learning more about the Mournland itself, as would the Gatekeepers... Of course, once the dust settles, the party realizes that none of their world-saving heroics have been noticed since they all took place in the Mournland behind the gray mists and away from prying eyes.
DragonWatcher 06-13-06, 12:56 PM	After fighting such an interplanar battle some kalashtar might seek out the champions to aid them against the Quori. The only problem with this is that the Kalashtar's war with the Quori is VERY personal, and it has been written in several sources that they don't generally talk about it except with their closest allies. In my games, I keep this out of the reach of all but Kalashtar characters, and if a PC wants to share fine, but I don't have Kalashtar NPCs divulge these secrets. Of course, that might just be MY game, but with all of the other excellent suggestions that sag3 wrote, I would likely steer clear of just this one. ;) My thoughts, for what they're worth... A ruler/rulers granting titles to PCs should be limited to successful acts of heroism which take place within their kingdoms. For example, even though the heroes might have actually saved the world, unless they defeated the source of danger in Aundair, I don't see Auralia making much of a big deal about it. Heck, if they did it primarily in Thrane, she might even see it as bolstering her enemy. Politics doesn't always make sense, and there's no real guarantee that the PCs really saved the world (even if it happens to be true) as far as stubborn politicians are concerned. If the PCs have proven themselves to be extraordinary tools (something which 16th level PCs certainly have done), I could see rulers courting them with land and other treasure to take up residence in their kingdoms. The problem becomes, if a character is sufficiently wealthy and comfortable, why would they risk life and limb, taking up sword and spell again? I mean, besides the "because they're PCs" answer. What might be interesting is: Assuming you do grant the PCs land somewhere, one day a strange pattern wilts in one of their crops. From the ground there's no sense of it, however from the air it bears a strange resemblance to a dragonmark. A week later, the character returns home to find his home burned down, and his servents (or whomever) slaughtered. Locals claimed to see a dragon flying overhead clearly a day or two before, but saw nothing that night. Moreover, most of them aren't really willing to talk to the PC anymore for fear of bringing down the fires onto their own homes. Now, is it a dragon that burned down the home in response to the "dragonmark"? Could this be tied to the prophecy, or is someone responsible for creating the mark to draw the dragon? Perhaps members of a local Cult of the Dragon Below who want to distract the PC (by leading him on a wild-dragon chase), or who really know of a nearby dragon that they need to sacrifice to release one of the Lords of Dust entoumbed in a large Eberron Shard somewhere nearby? Just some thoughts. :)
Errant 06-13-06, 11:07 PM	For what its worth here's the blerb I drafted to read for the players to update them on the scene when the PCs emerge victorious from the Cagewrights stronghold (if they're not victorious this will all be irrelevant): Emerging from the Cagewrights' stronghold you soon find that the people of Eberron were not idle in your absence. The defenders of Red Gorge have been bolstered by many groups. Adventurers and House Deneith Blademark mercenaries of all kinds and races form the bulk of Red Gorge's defenders but more impressive is the wide array of other groups that have joined them. A full score of Aundairan dragonhawk-mounted arcane knights work together with mages from The Twelve aboard House Cannith airships defending the settlement's skies against flying attacks. A hundred plate-clad knights fighting under flags bearing the bear of Breland sally across the low ground around the settlement on heavy warhorses, with Valenar skirmishers on lighter, faster mounts helping herd and set up targets. Burly hobgoblins and bugbears from Darguun, in their distinctive spiked platemail help defend the hastily erected walls beside Bone Knights from Karrnath and Thranish knights of the Silver Flame. House Cannith artificers roam the town with Gatekeeper druids, gnomish spellcasters from Zilargo and Sovereign Host Clerics of Dol Arrah and Dol Dorn, augmenting defenders weapons, or summoning and illusionary beasts to relieve the worst battles. Healers from House jorasco and Soveriegn Host clerics of Boldrei and Olladra minister to injured people while House Orien healers tend to mounts and animal defenders. It is quickly clear that calls sent out for aid to defend Red Gorge and the refugees from Cauldron were heard and answered with miraculous speed. In some cases it even seems the scale of the danger caused prophetic visions of impending peril that led to defenders being already assembled or alerted when word was received. Your actions, combined with the rapid reinforcement of Red Gorge's defenders has seen the greatest threat of demonic invasion in ten thousand years contained and averted. There is little doubt that once word spreads of what was accomplished the Defenders of Red Gorge will be recognised as heroes across Khorvaire and none moreso than the Saviors of Cauldron who braved the enemy's stronghold and destroyed the heart of their power. Its still a draft and needs some polish, but hopefully it established the scale of the threat and the unprecedented cooperation. How long such cooperation is likely to last is of course highly questionable. Good thoughts on the Kalashtar and the Quori. I tend to think the Dreaming Dark is such a secretive enemy that it will really take a suitable Kalashtar and/or psionic PC to bring it into the campaign with any justice. Neither of which are currently among the PCs, if that changes the DD are very likely to make an appearance somewhere. Hopefully my above draft hints at the seriousness with which the rulers of at least some of Khorvaire viewed the threat of planar invasion. I agree that rulers would generally only make offers of title in return for deeds that benefitted their nation, but in my campaign context I think the situation qualifies and if (modest) titles can win the services of remarkably accomplished (ie high level) individuals I would expect some offers to be made. I think where the deeds were done matters much less than the individual's known background/loyalties/associations. No ruler of Breland is likely to offer any title of substance to a Aundairan with known ties to the Arcane Congress or a Thranish knight of the Silver Flame, and vica versa, but a Brelish or unaligned/freelance adventurer with no known conflicts of interest is a different story. Nice idea on the crop patterns. I'll definitely file that one away as a potential plot device. Thanks again, for the suggestions. :) [edited spelling]