Post/Author/DateTime	Post
astute1 09-07-05, 03:37 PM	Hi! I'm currently running an eberron campaign using primarily modules that weren't written for eberron (most come from Dungeon magazine), and converting them. The problem I have is that even though my conversions drop in places and organizations from the eberron setting, it still doesn't have the evocative film noir feel of the published eberron material. I'm wondering how I can get that feeling, while still using prepublished material. Therefore, what I'd like to do in this thread is explore some of the topics from chapter nine of the Eberron Campaign Setting. What can a DM do to make his eberron campaign feel "different" from his forgotten realms or greyhawk campaign?
Ricohard_Draconis 09-07-05, 03:45 PM	which modules are you using first off? second remember that there may be two or three more layers of conspiracies below the adventure. for example a simple one: They get sent to retrieve item X from an ancient tome... they bring it back so far so good.. later they find that the scholar they got it back to is/was working for the dreaming dark/ a Changeling/ a pawn of some other group. also monsters aren't always the monsters they seem to be: Goblinoids have a long and proud martial tradition/ Dragons are learned sages who read the prophecy/ Medusa's on the surface are enforcers and 'police' for a monsterous nation. and the 'good' races aren't what they were: Gnomes are sneaky know it all spies/ Elves who worship the dead (in either form) and remember to add NPC's of the new races when appropriate.
Tek 09-07-05, 03:58 PM	Give us the names of the modules and also a little bit of a description of what's supposed to happen. The bare bones. I think the best way to get an Eberron feel is to set up your adventures so they play like an Action movie you'd see at the theatres and go "Whoa!" So, tell us the details, we'll try and Eberronize it.
aelryinth 09-07-05, 04:47 PM	Complain to Hellcow so he spends too much time replying to your queries. I think I waste too much of his valuable time for him. But, I wouldn't complain if I didn't love what he does! ==Aelryinth
Master of shaarat'khesh 09-07-05, 05:31 PM	Some things I do is watch examples of movies or shows where there is a lot of Noir story telling. Noir story telling seems very simple at first but like it's definition it is very subtle with its complexity, and you must keep peeling away layers to find the core and meaning of it all. Lots of older 30's and 40's detective movies are great examples of noir story telling. More recently movies like Sin City are excellent examples for capturing the Eberron noir/pulp action feel and atmosphere. Also books; Agitha Christy books are good resources, Sherlock holmes as well. I personally think the modules published so far for Eberron were disappointing in capturing the noirish atmosphere i've heard Kieth describe. They did have a little more of the pulp action though which may have been more the intent. Anyway the best way I've found to understand the mood and get good examples of what to do in a game session is pay attention to examples I've mentioned above and also fellow board members' ideas that are posted. Some of the "1001" Threads have sparked many an idea for me. The most important thing to remember is that the more you do of it, the better you'll get at it. Your players also have to have an understanding of the differences of Eberron to FR and Greyhawk as well and play along accordingly. In writting up a noir campaign I start with the core or the mystery to be solved and work my way backwards or out, adding layers of mystery and subturfuge until I reach a level of story that will be challenging to unfold. It's not easy to do and have it work out in the end. You have to make it a mystery that seems easily solvable but when the players think they have it BAM dead end. The challenge is to not make it so complicated that they get discouraged so you have to be able to throw in the occassional "gimme" info that keeps them going. Music, actual room atmosphere; like lighting, noise distraction, etc. also help to set the mood for noir. Noir is dark and shadowy. It's not so much black and white as much as gray. I say this in a literal and figurative sense. The PC's should not know quite who to trust and who they shouldn'y. Everyone is suspect (even your fellow PC's in some cases) Noir isn't so much hack-n-slash straight forward "good vs. evil" gaming, as much as it is "wow I didn't see that coming" surprising, twisting, turning, who done its that force players to think more and play better. But that's just my opinion. I hope it helped though. :)
astute1 09-07-05, 05:45 PM	The module I'm currently running is called: "Tammeraut's Fate." It's in Dungeon 106. It was originally set in the Greyhawk setting. The basic plot is as follows: A decade ago, during the Flanaess war, the kingdom of Nyrond built a small fortress on Firewatch Island to warn against a sea invasion. Shortly thereafter, an advance ship of the Scarlet Brotherhood's fleet was assigned to secretly capture the island base, so that the fleet could move in and launch a surprise attack. That ship was captained by Syrgaul Tammaraut, a sorcerer, and last of the cursed Tammaraut line. As luck would have it, the ship was spotted by the sea gull familiar of Firewatch's resident wizard. The island's small contingent of defenders knew they were outmatched, but prayed to Procan for aid. Whether by luck or divine intervention, a storm blew in, sinking the enemy vessel, and sparing the defenders. However, the ship sank into an underwater chasm linked to the Abyss. The crew returned as zombielike creatures, ruled over by the ghostly Syrgaul Tammaraut. Syrgaul found himself bound to the underwater chasm, but the undead crew he sent to slaughter the Firewatch Garrison, which they did, dragging the corpses back as unholy sarcrifices. Following this, the undead fell into a restless sleep. After the war, the island fortress became a hermitage. Recently the arrival of a cleric of Procan, Janore, at the hermitage has awakened the undead again. The players are travelling to the hermitage for (a reason the DM decides), and arrive there one day after the undead have reawakened and slaughtered all the hermits. The party must fight off the scavengers which have come to the island to feed on the corpses, locate survivors, and survive until the next morning, when the ferry arrives to take them away. Changes I made: Firewatch Island is located off the coast of Breland. The Scarlet Brotherhood is changed to the Order of the Emerald Claw Syrgaul Tammaraut became Syrgaul ir'Tammaraut, a Karrnathi nobleman allied with the Order of the Emerald Claw Procan is replaced with Arawei The priests of procan are replaced by half-elves with the mark of storm. The underwater chasm contained a coterminous zone to Mabar, not the Abyss Plot Hooks: Some of the party members were headed to firewatch island to hunt down a heretic named Morely - they weren't really keen on this idea, since they were forced to do it as payment for a raise dead spell. They're considering letting Morely go if he doesn't seem dangerous, rather than handing him over to some corrupt priests. Two halflings in the group are looking for a rare tome, said to be held in the hermitage's library. They're getting paid good money to bring it back to a book dealer in Sharn. The shifter ranger was on the island talking to a Gatekeeper druid, who lived there when the undead attacked. He was struck during the battle with a poison, and is currently unconscious. (His character hasn't been introduced yet.)