Modern Eberron [Archive] - Wizards Community

Modern Eberron [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Seghan
09-14-06, 06:32 PM I have considered starting a long term (slow) project of setting up a future setting for Eberron. My basic idea is that the Mourning was actually something that kicked off a much bigger shift in Eberron. Over the next century or two, magic faded from the world and a series of smaller catastrophies began to shake other elements of the world. Monsters begin to die off, and humanoids begin to fade. Humans, due to their adaptability and wide spread stay strong, but other populations are shrunk and pushed into disperate areas. Warforged are wiped out after a war with the Lord of the Blades turns public sentiment against them. Manifest zones begin to fail, eventually even Sharn falls as the flying magic disappears. After a while, humans are the absolute masters of Khorvaire, but stuck in a dark age with no magic and little technology. The dragons go into sleep or something, the elves are so disheartened by the loss of their deathless (seeing as all magic has faded) that they fall back in on them selves on Arenal and vanish from the world stage. Much knowledge is lost in the human dark ages, but after several hundred years they begin building technology and rise up again. Around 3000YK or so, Khorvaire looks very much like 21st century earth. Stories of magic, demi-humans, and grand whatnot are dismissed as myth. Cars, guns, airplanes, microwaves, tv's, and those wierd vibrating 5 blade razors are all parts of life now. The game in this period would be played with D20 Modern, but in Eberron. There is a lot of thought that I couldn't record in the brief summary, but in general I would try to maintain some D&D feeling but in what feels much like a mundane modern landscape.

I would love some thoughts on this. There is a lot of scrambling to make this work, a lot of history to cover up in just 2000 years, and a lot of secrets to stash around Khorvaire. But I think it could work.
Just another user
09-14-06, 07:06 PM Exactly what would make it eberron and not D20 modern?

I mean, no magic, no or little other humanoid races, no Houses (because No Magic= no dragonmarks and without dragonmarks there is little point for the houses to stay the way they are, no dragons, no monsters, no manifest zones, etc, etc. At best is another generic D&D settign with technology and without magic. at worst... idem. So what should make me look at this world and make me tell "hey, this is Eberron" aside for the name?
mearrin69
09-14-06, 07:18 PM Yep, this is essentially the Earth with a redrawn map and Eberron-named locations. It's an interesting idea but I'd rather see things extrapolated outward from their current base - there is a technological revolution going on right now in Eberron, it just relies on magic instead of pure machines. I think a modern Eberron but I wouldn't nerf it to completely mundane.
M
Seghan
09-14-06, 07:26 PM Basically, it is on the landscape of Eberron, and Eberron as we know it is the history of the world, even if it is not fully acknowledged in the modern times. The settings would be familiar as evolutions of familiar Eberron places but different as existing in a different milieu. Also, I don't think I expressed this right, but the old things would still be stashed around. Goblinoids and halflings would still be found in the far reaches of jungles or wastelands, Dwarves would still be in the inhospitible mountains. These speices would have moved into the realm of cryptozoology in the new world. Daelkyr and Rakashas would still be stashed somewhere, plotting and working to reconnect with their power. And one would assume that memories of the true past would still be hidden around and would in turn be loci for adventures. That being said, yes it would be a vastly different flavor, that is the idea. I personally feel that it would be a lot of fun to play in a different cultural construction of the Eberron landscape.
Seghan
09-14-06, 07:27 PM Yeah, fair enough, I am taking it a bit to the extreme, but I think you see where I am coming from. I really want it to be vastly different, though, a fully different cultural landscape construction.
Just another user
09-14-06, 07:35 PM Basically, it is on the landscape of Eberron, and Eberron as we know it is the history of the world, even if it is not fully acknowledged in the modern times. The settings would be familiar as evolutions of familiar Eberron places but different as existing in a different milieu. Also, I don't think I expressed this right, but the old things would still be stashed around. Goblinoids and halflings would still be found in the far reaches of jungles or wastelands, Dwarves would still be in the inhospitible mountains. These speices would have moved into the realm of cryptozoology in the new world. Daelkyr and Rakashas would still be stashed somewhere, plotting and working to reconnect with their power. And one would assume that memories of the true past would still be hidden around and would in turn be loci for adventures. That being said, yes it would be a vastly different flavor, that is the idea. I personally feel that it would be a lot of fun to play in a different cultural construction of the Eberron landscape.
The problem (at least for me is a problem) is that you could do the same thing for the Forgotten Realms and you would get essentially the same world, only with a different map and names.
Seghan
09-14-06, 07:41 PM I guess I don't see that as a problem. Maybe it is better described as a D20 Modern setting with an Eberron flavor than an Eberron campaign with D20 Modern books. Also, it is entirely possible that I am not communicating that in actually developing the setting I would want to evolve Eberron, so while it would be modern and earth-like, it would have a certain Eberron flavor and history. I see where you are coming from though.
eehamburg
09-15-06, 09:57 AM so do you want an Eberron world with some d20 Modern or a d20 Modern world with some Eberron? Because there is a big difference between the 2.
Seghan
09-15-06, 11:19 AM What I would like to do is use this campaign to expore concepts of landscape as a cultural construction. I feel the interest is drawn from taking the same landform of Khorvaire, but viewing it through a completely different cultural framework and seeing how metaphorical conceptions and sense of place in space that have been informed by a different cultural model would feel. This idea is drawn from some work done in the field of anthropology on the temporality of landscape and place, and in charting both the influence of cultural constructions on landscape and landscape constructions on culture. In that regard, I would see this game as being played in the reality sphere of Eberron, but using a ruleset more appropriate for the shifted idiom.
Just another user
09-15-06, 11:29 AM What I would like to do is use this campaign to expore concepts of landscape as a cultural construction. I feel the interest is drawn from taking the same landform of Khorvaire, but viewing it through a completely different cultural framework and seeing how metaphorical conceptions and sense of place in space that have been informed by a different cultural model would feel. This idea is drawn from some work done in the field of anthropology on the temporality of landscape and place, and in charting both the influence of cultural constructions on landscape and landscape constructions on culture. In that regard, I would see this game as being played in the reality sphere of Eberron, but using a ruleset more appropriate for the shifted idiom.

I don't know if I'm the only one that think that, but I must say...

Uh??? :confused:
DarkPawn
09-15-06, 11:33 AM What I would like to do is use this campaign to expore concepts of landscape as a cultural construction. I feel the interest is drawn from taking the same landform of Khorvaire, but viewing it through a completely different cultural framework and seeing how metaphorical conceptions and sense of place in space that have been informed by a different cultural model would feel. This idea is drawn from some work done in the field of anthropology on the temporality of landscape and place, and in charting both the influence of cultural constructions on landscape and landscape constructions on culture. In that regard, I would see this game as being played in the reality sphere of Eberron, but using a ruleset more appropriate for the shifted idiom.

I don't see why you're even posting this. If you want to do it, do it. If you want to use Eberron go for it. "Spices" and "geography" helped lead to the exploration of the new world. Eberron's culture and geography will have the same effect on your world.

If you want to run it. Run it.
Seghan
09-15-06, 11:38 AM I was just curious if anyone had any feedback on how to develop Eberron into a modern, non-magical society. What aspects to keep in, how to subsume various fantastical elements, how to redraw nations and cities, even how to set it up so a return to magic is possible (perhaps through adventurers restoring some sort of balance or something). I mean, I don't just want to say poof, it's changed, I want to develop this more organically. And there are a lot of people on the boards who know more about how D&D and Eberron work than me.
eehamburg
09-15-06, 11:38 AM I don't know if I'm the only one that think that, but I must say...

Uh??? :confused:

It is a philosophical discussion and dissection that is being sought at by the OP... I think.

Oh and to make Eberron non-magical would destroy the world as every aspect of it hinges on magic of some type ...
DarkPawn
09-15-06, 11:48 AM I was just curious if anyone had any feedback on how to develop Eberron into a modern, non-magical society. What aspects to keep in, how to subsume various fantastical elements, how to redraw nations and cities, even how to set it up so a return to magic is possible (perhaps through adventurers restoring some sort of balance or something). I mean, I don't just want to say poof, it's changed, I want to develop this more organically. And there are a lot of people on the boards who know more about how D&D and Eberron work than me.

I would approach it like this. Eberron is the land...when the Crye exploded it gave Eberron a mortal wound. The wound (mournlands) expands bigger and bigger as Eberron dies or just weakens. Eventually Eberron either dies or is so weak that magic fades from the surface.

Now you could have magic still work in Khyber, which could explain monsters still being created. You could have magic still function in Siberys (yeah I spelt it wrong) too.

In order for magic to be returned to the surface you have a few possibilities. If Eberron is just in a weakened condition, the PC's have to heal him. If Eberron is dead but his body remains, they have to clone him. If Eberron is still bleeding out (mournlands) the wound must be closed. If Eberron is dead and gone, he must be replaced.

That is about all I can think up, spur of the moment.
eehamburg
09-15-06, 12:06 PM Siberys (yeah I spelt it wrong)

Actually, you didn't
nullstate
09-15-06, 01:38 PM Eberron is a high-magic setting by its very nature, so I would be hesitant to take any of that away. If you want to play in a painfully low-magic setting, just run an Iron Kingdoms campaign. ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Seghan 09-14-06, 06:32 PM	I have considered starting a long term (slow) project of setting up a future setting for Eberron. My basic idea is that the Mourning was actually something that kicked off a much bigger shift in Eberron. Over the next century or two, magic faded from the world and a series of smaller catastrophies began to shake other elements of the world. Monsters begin to die off, and humanoids begin to fade. Humans, due to their adaptability and wide spread stay strong, but other populations are shrunk and pushed into disperate areas. Warforged are wiped out after a war with the Lord of the Blades turns public sentiment against them. Manifest zones begin to fail, eventually even Sharn falls as the flying magic disappears. After a while, humans are the absolute masters of Khorvaire, but stuck in a dark age with no magic and little technology. The dragons go into sleep or something, the elves are so disheartened by the loss of their deathless (seeing as all magic has faded) that they fall back in on them selves on Arenal and vanish from the world stage. Much knowledge is lost in the human dark ages, but after several hundred years they begin building technology and rise up again. Around 3000YK or so, Khorvaire looks very much like 21st century earth. Stories of magic, demi-humans, and grand whatnot are dismissed as myth. Cars, guns, airplanes, microwaves, tv's, and those wierd vibrating 5 blade razors are all parts of life now. The game in this period would be played with D20 Modern, but in Eberron. There is a lot of thought that I couldn't record in the brief summary, but in general I would try to maintain some D&D feeling but in what feels much like a mundane modern landscape. I would love some thoughts on this. There is a lot of scrambling to make this work, a lot of history to cover up in just 2000 years, and a lot of secrets to stash around Khorvaire. But I think it could work.
Just another user 09-14-06, 07:06 PM	Exactly what would make it eberron and not D20 modern? I mean, no magic, no or little other humanoid races, no Houses (because No Magic= no dragonmarks and without dragonmarks there is little point for the houses to stay the way they are, no dragons, no monsters, no manifest zones, etc, etc. At best is another generic D&D settign with technology and without magic. at worst... idem. So what should make me look at this world and make me tell "hey, this is Eberron" aside for the name?
mearrin69 09-14-06, 07:18 PM	Yep, this is essentially the Earth with a redrawn map and Eberron-named locations. It's an interesting idea but I'd rather see things extrapolated outward from their current base - there is a technological revolution going on right now in Eberron, it just relies on magic instead of pure machines. I think a modern Eberron but I wouldn't nerf it to completely mundane. M
Seghan 09-14-06, 07:26 PM	Basically, it is on the landscape of Eberron, and Eberron as we know it is the history of the world, even if it is not fully acknowledged in the modern times. The settings would be familiar as evolutions of familiar Eberron places but different as existing in a different milieu. Also, I don't think I expressed this right, but the old things would still be stashed around. Goblinoids and halflings would still be found in the far reaches of jungles or wastelands, Dwarves would still be in the inhospitible mountains. These speices would have moved into the realm of cryptozoology in the new world. Daelkyr and Rakashas would still be stashed somewhere, plotting and working to reconnect with their power. And one would assume that memories of the true past would still be hidden around and would in turn be loci for adventures. That being said, yes it would be a vastly different flavor, that is the idea. I personally feel that it would be a lot of fun to play in a different cultural construction of the Eberron landscape.
Seghan 09-14-06, 07:27 PM	Yeah, fair enough, I am taking it a bit to the extreme, but I think you see where I am coming from. I really want it to be vastly different, though, a fully different cultural landscape construction.
Just another user 09-14-06, 07:35 PM	Basically, it is on the landscape of Eberron, and Eberron as we know it is the history of the world, even if it is not fully acknowledged in the modern times. The settings would be familiar as evolutions of familiar Eberron places but different as existing in a different milieu. Also, I don't think I expressed this right, but the old things would still be stashed around. Goblinoids and halflings would still be found in the far reaches of jungles or wastelands, Dwarves would still be in the inhospitible mountains. These speices would have moved into the realm of cryptozoology in the new world. Daelkyr and Rakashas would still be stashed somewhere, plotting and working to reconnect with their power. And one would assume that memories of the true past would still be hidden around and would in turn be loci for adventures. That being said, yes it would be a vastly different flavor, that is the idea. I personally feel that it would be a lot of fun to play in a different cultural construction of the Eberron landscape. The problem (at least for me is a problem) is that you could do the same thing for the Forgotten Realms and you would get essentially the same world, only with a different map and names.
Seghan 09-14-06, 07:41 PM	I guess I don't see that as a problem. Maybe it is better described as a D20 Modern setting with an Eberron flavor than an Eberron campaign with D20 Modern books. Also, it is entirely possible that I am not communicating that in actually developing the setting I would want to evolve Eberron, so while it would be modern and earth-like, it would have a certain Eberron flavor and history. I see where you are coming from though.
eehamburg 09-15-06, 09:57 AM	so do you want an Eberron world with some d20 Modern or a d20 Modern world with some Eberron? Because there is a big difference between the 2.
Seghan 09-15-06, 11:19 AM	What I would like to do is use this campaign to expore concepts of landscape as a cultural construction. I feel the interest is drawn from taking the same landform of Khorvaire, but viewing it through a completely different cultural framework and seeing how metaphorical conceptions and sense of place in space that have been informed by a different cultural model would feel. This idea is drawn from some work done in the field of anthropology on the temporality of landscape and place, and in charting both the influence of cultural constructions on landscape and landscape constructions on culture. In that regard, I would see this game as being played in the reality sphere of Eberron, but using a ruleset more appropriate for the shifted idiom.
Just another user 09-15-06, 11:29 AM	What I would like to do is use this campaign to expore concepts of landscape as a cultural construction. I feel the interest is drawn from taking the same landform of Khorvaire, but viewing it through a completely different cultural framework and seeing how metaphorical conceptions and sense of place in space that have been informed by a different cultural model would feel. This idea is drawn from some work done in the field of anthropology on the temporality of landscape and place, and in charting both the influence of cultural constructions on landscape and landscape constructions on culture. In that regard, I would see this game as being played in the reality sphere of Eberron, but using a ruleset more appropriate for the shifted idiom. I don't know if I'm the only one that think that, but I must say... Uh??? :confused:
DarkPawn 09-15-06, 11:33 AM	What I would like to do is use this campaign to expore concepts of landscape as a cultural construction. I feel the interest is drawn from taking the same landform of Khorvaire, but viewing it through a completely different cultural framework and seeing how metaphorical conceptions and sense of place in space that have been informed by a different cultural model would feel. This idea is drawn from some work done in the field of anthropology on the temporality of landscape and place, and in charting both the influence of cultural constructions on landscape and landscape constructions on culture. In that regard, I would see this game as being played in the reality sphere of Eberron, but using a ruleset more appropriate for the shifted idiom. I don't see why you're even posting this. If you want to do it, do it. If you want to use Eberron go for it. "Spices" and "geography" helped lead to the exploration of the new world. Eberron's culture and geography will have the same effect on your world. If you want to run it. Run it.
Seghan 09-15-06, 11:38 AM	I was just curious if anyone had any feedback on how to develop Eberron into a modern, non-magical society. What aspects to keep in, how to subsume various fantastical elements, how to redraw nations and cities, even how to set it up so a return to magic is possible (perhaps through adventurers restoring some sort of balance or something). I mean, I don't just want to say poof, it's changed, I want to develop this more organically. And there are a lot of people on the boards who know more about how D&D and Eberron work than me.
eehamburg 09-15-06, 11:38 AM	I don't know if I'm the only one that think that, but I must say... Uh??? :confused: It is a philosophical discussion and dissection that is being sought at by the OP... I think. Oh and to make Eberron non-magical would destroy the world as every aspect of it hinges on magic of some type ...
DarkPawn 09-15-06, 11:48 AM	I was just curious if anyone had any feedback on how to develop Eberron into a modern, non-magical society. What aspects to keep in, how to subsume various fantastical elements, how to redraw nations and cities, even how to set it up so a return to magic is possible (perhaps through adventurers restoring some sort of balance or something). I mean, I don't just want to say poof, it's changed, I want to develop this more organically. And there are a lot of people on the boards who know more about how D&D and Eberron work than me. I would approach it like this. Eberron is the land...when the Crye exploded it gave Eberron a mortal wound. The wound (mournlands) expands bigger and bigger as Eberron dies or just weakens. Eventually Eberron either dies or is so weak that magic fades from the surface. Now you could have magic still work in Khyber, which could explain monsters still being created. You could have magic still function in Siberys (yeah I spelt it wrong) too. In order for magic to be returned to the surface you have a few possibilities. If Eberron is just in a weakened condition, the PC's have to heal him. If Eberron is dead but his body remains, they have to clone him. If Eberron is still bleeding out (mournlands) the wound must be closed. If Eberron is dead and gone, he must be replaced. That is about all I can think up, spur of the moment.
eehamburg 09-15-06, 12:06 PM	Siberys (yeah I spelt it wrong) Actually, you didn't
nullstate 09-15-06, 01:38 PM	Eberron is a high-magic setting by its very nature, so I would be hesitant to take any of that away. If you want to play in a painfully low-magic setting, just run an Iron Kingdoms campaign. ;)