Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Raginbull00 04-17-05, 08:55 PM	I'm very dry as far as idea's are concerned. I'm about to start a campaign for my cousin and my girlfriend. My girlfriend is going to play a half-dragon, and my cousin is going to play a kobald. I completely understand how rare half-dragons are... believe me. I'm planning on trying to tie the draconic prophecy and maybe even the Blood of Vol cult into my campaign's storyline (maybe there is an obscure prophecy about a half-dragon hero/villian and a powerful kobald). This game isn't even off the ground as I still have no idea what their alignments will be (or their classes for that manner). To kick-start this campaign I was going to run a module. I was surfing WotC's download section (you know... the section where they give you free modules to run) but the big problem I saw with most of them was the approach of the adventures. In most modules someone in a town will approach a group of able bodied adventures to rescue a small girl that was kidnapped by a local tribe of goblinoids for a ritual sacrifice). Now in this situation you'd assume that the person who approached the party and gave the mission to them was of the same race of the party, or of the "civilized" races. An old human male (the village elder) probably wouldn't give this very same quest to a party that consists of a half-dragon and a kobald. The quest giver would probably assume that the party mentioned above was a raiding party and warn the rest of the village. Given my example, I hope that my problem is clear. I need a module to run (or at least an idea to kick-start this campaign). Most modules assume that the party that's running around is good, and mostly humanoid. This is a problem.
Euangelion 04-17-05, 09:29 PM	A few things to consider... How much does the half-dragon resemble its non-dragon side? In other words, if the half-dragon can pass reasonably well as a normal humanoid, then the kobald wouldn't be a problem necessarily... From what I remember about half-dragons from the AKB thread, the only kind that really freaks the dragons out are elven half-dragons. The other races they don't care so much about. The Chamber is active in the world, many members living as humaniods and conceivably conceiving. I'd recommend the father being the dragon and the mother being the other, to allow the half-dragon to be reared in humanoid society. Hope that helps... Edit: By the way, doesn't Jack Sparrow say "pick up a crew in Tortuga" not "Regalport?" I could be wrong...
Kaspan 04-17-05, 09:37 PM	I can see your problem, bringing a party together is usually one of the hardest things to do, I know from a lot of experience. In your case, I would suggest taking one of the standard "save the damsel adventures" and stir it up a little. Instead of someone approaching the half-dragon and Kolbold as if they were well known, make it a desperate father or grandfather who comes by themselves, without the approval of the town or their own families, offering a reward to the half-dragon if they can save his daughter. He comes to the PCs because they are outsiders and rumors describe them as dangerous and wicked. The father/grandfather, after other attempts at rescue by the town have failed, believes the PCs are his only hope for seeing his daughter again. He doesn't care who or what they are or what they've done, he only wants his daughter back. Or you can just start it with one of them being approached in this manner and as the first character begins the search, he/she runs into the other who was on a mission to scout out the goblins that have invaded the kolbold/half-dragon's territory. Maybe even play out a small combat scene between them, start out with a little tension in the party that eventually dissolves after they have fought together. And at the end, if they save the girl, both become a little more accepted by the town, and things can progress from there. Hope this will help spark the fires of your imagination. Writer's block can be a pain-in-the-ass, I know. :) Hope things work out, and game well. Sincerely, Kaspan Orien
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 09:44 AM	In response to Euangelion: What's "The Chamber"? I asked my cousin (who is also a big Eberron fan) and he told me the chamber had something to do with the gnomes, and the big piece of land they call their home. Not sure if that's true though. As far as the appearance of half-dragons, they look very much reptillian. Imagine Vin Diesel with scales (and a little taller). That's a half-dragon. They kind of stick out. The good thing is that half-dragons are sooooooo rare in Eberron that most people wouldn't know what the PC was, and therefore wouldn't really know how to react to the PC. All they would know right from the start was that the PC wasn't one of the standard races, and therefore must be some sort of goblinoid or weird looking orc.
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 10:08 AM	In response to Kaspan: Writers block sucks really bad. I've been working on this game for 3 weeks, and I pretty much have nothing (except for a plot Hook that I'm not sure how to implement). I really want this game to start smoothly, and for the PC's to enjoy themselves in my world. I've DM'ed before... but never have I ever had this hard of a time getting an adventure off the ground. When this has happened in the past, all I had to do was work past it a little and the details filled themselves in. Anyway, thanks! If you think of anything else... please post.
rwarner3701 04-18-05, 10:16 AM	The Chamber is a group of dragons who believe they need to watch the events of the lesser races closely so see signs ofthe prophecy. They are also likely to interfere if they believe their actions can help in some way. The Trust is a group of gnomes that are on the lookout for any gnomes that are working against Zilargo as a whole. They allow the gnomes to act illegally as long as what they do does not affect the prosperity of Zilarge, the gnome nation. Another idea, don't give them a quest from a human town, give them a quest from someplace where their are nonhumans that need help. The entire nation of Darguun is home to monsterous humanoids that would have no problem with working with reptile like beings although they may make fun of the kobold. The kobold could try to get the job and be laughed at and when it tries to prove its ability it starts a fight. The half-dragon sees the problem and steps in to help. Afterwards, the person sees how well they work together and decides to hire them both for the job. Do you have the ECS?
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 10:46 AM	In response to rwarner3701: I like your ideas. It would make more sense to do this in a monsterous nation. How would Q'barra fit? I was thinking of starting off there. As far as the question about whether I have an ECS, yes I do. I actually am lucky enough to own all of the books (with the exception of RoE, and RoM which I'm not sure if it's even out yet). It's just that the books are big, and my memory is short. Thanks for the help.
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 10:48 AM	If anyone has any more ideas to add to this thread... please do it. As I try to get this thing off the ground, I'm sure to hit a few more snags. Any ideas for future events or places would be great. The PC's are starting out at 4th level. Thanks!
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 10:55 AM	One question though... I've heard it said that Eberron was designed for low level characters and campaigns. If this is in fact true, what do you guys think the cut-off level is? At what level should the campaign end b/c of the PC's character levels? I think the Lord of Blades is like 12th level (and he's the big baddie... besides Vol who is a little higher). What are your opinions?
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 10:56 AM	I would like the campaign to be a long one... but I don't want to make Eberron do what it wasn't designed to do. Thanks again.
Euangelion 04-18-05, 11:11 AM	One question though... I've heard it said that Eberron was designed for low level characters and campaigns. If this is in fact true, what do you guys think the cut-off level is? At what level should the campaign end b/c of the PC's character levels? I think the Lord of Blades is like 12th level (and he's the big baddie... besides Vol who is a little higher). What are your opinions? To clarify: Eberron is a "low level setting" so that when the characters are high level, they are the only ones who can save the world. "We have only one chance! Call that half-dragon and kobold team! They're the only ones who can get in there and destroy the Eternal Orb of Pain!" NPC's like the Lord of Blades are supposed to advance along with the PC's so that they can remain thorns in their sides for the entire campaign.
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 11:23 AM	In Response to Euangelion: After the last thing I asked, I kind of feel a little stupid. lol. I think I'm making this harder than it should be. I'm going to try to just "chill" and see if things come to me. Still though guys... if anything comes up in your mind, please post it. Thanks.
Urko 04-18-05, 01:17 PM	As far as the "save the (child/damsel/village)" adventure hook goes, who says humanoids have to be involved at all? Kobolds, llzard folk, and troglodytes need rescuing sometimes, too! This would work especially well in a Q'Barra setting. What if the half-dragon was looked upon as some prophesized hero by the reptile folk of the jungles? How about if the kidnapped children are lizardfolk who have been enslaved by unscrupulous Tharashk prospectors? What if the evil artifact will fall into the hands of a particularly ruthless Cold Sun band, causing no end of woe for the rest of the tribes, unless the PCs get to it first? What if the rampaging monster is threatening to destroy the peaceful kobold village? Really, it's just a matter of adjusting the perspective. People are people, whether they're covered with fur, feathers, skin, or scales.
Euangelion 04-18-05, 02:00 PM	As far as the "save the (child/damsel/village)" adventure hook goes, who says humanoids have to be involved at all? Kobolds, llzard folk, and troglodytes need rescuing sometimes, too! This would work especially well in a Q'Barra setting. What if the half-dragon was looked upon as some prophesized hero by the reptile folk of the jungles? How about if the kidnapped children are lizardfolk who have been enslaved by unscrupulous Tharashk prospectors? What if the evil artifact will fall into the hands of a particularly ruthless Cold Sun band, causing no end of woe for the rest of the tribes, unless the PCs get to it first? What if the rampaging monster is threatening to destroy the peaceful kobold village? Really, it's just a matter of adjusting the perspective. People are people, whether they're covered with fur, feathers, skin, or scales. Good stuff! Great point of view. I wish I had thought of that! :w00t:
Euangelion 04-18-05, 02:07 PM	In Response to Euangelion: After the last thing I asked, I kind of feel a little stupid. lol. I think I'm making this harder than it should be. I'm going to try to just "chill" and see if things come to me. Still though guys... if anything comes up in your mind, please post it. Thanks. Don't worry about it. One last suggestion...read, reread, rereread, etc., etc., the Eberron Campaign Setting book. Become so familiar with it that if I mention Wrogar or Festering Holt you know right away who or what that is. Then do the same with Sharn: City of Towers. Then do the same with Races of Eberron. Become so familiar with the books that you can spot errata that no one has mentioned on this board. Then read the Ask Keith Baker archive on this board. After all that you'll need a pile of legal pads to keep all of the ideas you'll be coming up with, and you'll see how the half-dragon and kobald can fit into the whole big picture. But pay attention to Urko's idea. Awesome.
Raginbull00 04-18-05, 10:05 PM	Thanks guys! Today has been wonderful as far as making strides in my game. Thanks go out to everyone who's posted, and given advice. Urko, wow! That's all I can say. All of the idea's you posted are awsome! I'm definently going to give a few of them a try. Euangelion, thanks for all of the encouragement. It's not easy to dm. Especially when the dm's well of inspiration has run dry. I've gtg. My ECS is calling me. I've got reading to catch up on. :-)