Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kaionon 11-25-06, 01:19 PM	Hello I am going to be starting to GM a base 1st level ebberon game soon and aside from a reletivly easy first level adventure I had allready made I'm not sure where to go for my Campaign. (The party should be level two after the first adventure.) What I would like is an overall story plot idea for my Campaign, like what I would want my party to work towards in general. I'm not very good at making an idea up off the top of my head and Ebberon is just so full of ideas it's hard to pick. :eek: Bottom line is i'm very good at expanding ideas, just not forming them, so I would kindly ask if anyone could give me an idea sparker for an overall plot for my Campaign.
dndanmachines 11-25-06, 02:56 PM	I would still recommend one of the adventure hooks found in ECS, but here's something I'm currently working on. "On the border between The Eldeen Reaches and Aundair, there are forces currently engaged in a guerilla war. The Eldeen Wolves, a group of bandits about one hundred strong, are conducting raids on the east banks of the Wynarn River. Farms have been burned to the ground, merchant traders have been looted, and all travelers in the area must have an escort. Magistrates in Wyr, Windshire, and Otharaunt have deputised a number of men and women to pursue and capture the bandits, dead or alive. Rewards have also been posted for the capture of the suspected leaders of the group." I'm still working on the details for the Eldeen Wolves and the towns on the Wynarn River. I'll try to get them posted soon.
kaionon 11-25-06, 03:05 PM	It's just that the adventure hooks usualy seem to just have a "one adventure" feel to them. I'm sorta looking for a baseline to my Campaign that is beyond just a string of seemingly random adventures.
Jancarius 11-25-06, 03:09 PM	This being Eberron, let's add a twist to that. The Eldeen Wolves are actually a band of Chaotic Good fellows who think they're pushing back Aundarian incursions. Take away all the parts where they attack anyone which the PCs would perceive as innocent, make them focus on merchant caravans and Aundarian military units. Now add a further twist. The leader of the ELdeen Wolves is a Neutral Evil guy who could have any of the following goals A) He's working for Aundair. The Wolves will eventually provoke a border clash, and the Aundarian army uses it as an excuse to occupy a section of the reaches B) He's a Rakasha/quori/servant of the Daelkyr/Aurum member/Any power group that suits you. For the Aurum, for example, he mainly has the Wolves hit rival trade caravans. You can come up with just about anything for the first 3, since they often say that their plans can take centuries to reach fruition and in the case of the daelkyr servant, might not make sense even if you know the whole thing. C) The Wolves are just bandits. The leader is actually a deposed Aundarian noble who lost his title because of the actions of the noble/merchant/whoever that the Wolves raid. He formed the Wolves for revenge. Or you could give them other alignment mixes. Making shades of gray moral conflict makes Eberron games much more interesting. To throw out my own initial thread (and someone else can put a twist on it), let's say your in Thrane. Your party of adventurer's comes across a town where they are about to burn several people at the stake. The reason is that one of them is accused of summoning demons (this is true. One of them is an evil, demon summoning whatever-you'd-like). However, the priest of the town is both somewhat zealous and also a coward. He's unwilling to risk facing a demon and dying as a result, so he's taken up all the potential candidates as to who could be a demon summoner, and is going to burn them all. It's just that the adventure hooks usualy seem to just have a "one adventure" feel to them. I'm sorta looking for a baseline to my Campaign that is beyond just a string of seemingly random adventures.Well, there's always the Forgotten Forge-Shadows of the Last War-Whisper of the Vampire's Blade-Grasp of the Emerald Claw chain of adventuers. It should occupy your group for about 3 real life months at least, even if they move quickly and efficently through things. They're mostly well written, though Shadows had to be errated (freaking crab and half-golem wolf are pretty ridiculous considering you can't heal). For making a campaign theme though, I reccommend picking a power group. Now, take some adventures. Figure out how this power group is involved in each adventure. It doesn't ahve to be a big part. For example, the Lord of Blades, the Emerald Claw, and the Canniths are all after the creation patterns and schema in the adventures above. The schemas and creation patterns feature prominently in 3 of the 4 adventures, but the only connection Whisper has to the others is that some of the same villains show up. For example, this changeling cleric appears in a completly different guise each time and it's not till the end of Grasp that this is revealed. If it involves old artifacts, ancient ruins on Xen'drik and the like, the Dreaming Dark is a good villain. The Emerald Claw can get involved in pretty much anything the party can. The Daelkyr and the Lords of Dust are somewhat more high powered villains (the weakest Rakasha being a CR6. CR6 my ass, one of them almost wiped out my players when they got the jump on it. High AC, a pretty good DR, and SR), but you can use mortal agents of either if you want to bring them in lower. The LoB can be an ally to a party of warforged, or a sometimes ally sometimes enemy depending on party composition and action. Basically, pick a group or a villain and just work his actions into the adventures.
kaionon 11-25-06, 06:38 PM	Thank you for the help Jancarius. Had I read more of the powergroups I may have not needed the boards. But the problem with the premade adventures is that i've never had any intrest or care for them since I'm not one for reading through greybox text to tell my players unless I made it myself. (Allso why I never played living greyhalk ;) ) But as I said, thank you. You've given me some good help and the idea of multi layered plots sounds apealing to try as a DM. Oh, as for what I said about the adventure hooks, I simply ment the ones listen in the ECS since those really do have the feeling of a one shot adventure to me. The adventures you have to pay money for are a diffrent matter. :P
Thwyvylyn 11-27-06, 03:09 AM	Changeling stumbles into (location where PCs are). It is unable to control its shapechanging ability. It collapses on the floor and promptly dies.
Adhevan 11-27-06, 04:11 AM	A man of military posture and demeanor and with an obviously Brelish accent calling himself Mr. Johnson wants to hire the adventurers for a mission. An Orien caravan left the city the day before headed to Darguun. Several of the wagons in this caravan contain a shipment of weapons and armor Cannith has sold to a warlord in Darguun. Interests the man work for, he is vague as to exactly whom, would rest a lot easier if these weapons never arrive. He doesn't care if the weapons are stolen or destroyed, but would prefer that as little damage as possible be done to the rest of the caravan. The bottom line, though, is do what you have to in order to keep those weapons out of Darguun. Since this involves interfering directly with both House Orien and House Cannith, it is important that this action not be traced back to Mr. Johnson or his employer. In fact, payment will be placed in a Kundarak deposit box to which he gives them the key, so they will never need to meet face to face again. And he will deny having ever met them if they do. Just a few of the many possible twists: -There is no weapons shipment. Mr. Johnson has information about a future valuable shipment and is hiring patsi... the adventurers to pull this job just so he can see how well defended the caravans really are. -Mr. Johnson actually works for Cannith West and is arranging missions to damage Cannith South's operations. -Mr. Johnson is a changeling secretly working for the Swords of Liberty. The person he is impersonating, however, is a Citadel agent. He plans for the adventurer's to get caught and this embarrassing action to have strong repercussions between Boranel and the DM Houses. -He's on the level with them. (they'd never see that twist coming;)) If they perform well, it could mean future work from the same source.
goblin_pride 11-27-06, 11:54 AM	A man of military posture and demeanor and with an obviously Brelish accent calling himself Mr. Johnson wants to hire the adventurers for a mission. You've been writing too much material for a certain cyberpunk game we prob'ly all know.
lordalm 11-27-06, 04:12 PM	Rebirth of Dhakaani Empire. Either have the pcs working for it, against or caught in the middle. Large over arcing plot thread that you can fill in as need be. Lets you play with the goblinoids which is always fun. :D
Adhevan 11-27-06, 04:15 PM	You've been writing too much material for a certain cyberpunk game we prob'ly all know. Nah. I haven't read any cyberpunk in years. The term "Mr. Johnson" has stuck with me, though.
goblin_pride 11-29-06, 09:49 AM	Rebirth of Dhakaani Empire. Either have the pcs working for it, against or caught in the middle. Large over arcing plot thread that you can fill in as need be. Lets you play with the goblinoids which is always fun. :D An excellent idea, when do we start? Actually, who's going to run it, I want you and me both playing in that one.
DM_Swan 11-29-06, 11:49 AM	New Cyre is an excellent base for a campaign idea. You can have the PCs working with Prince Oargev to claim land for Cyre. There is much potential for allies, enemies, spies, double agents, assassinations, explorations, etc.
Anarkinas 11-29-06, 01:24 PM	These days I am trying to come up with something along the line below for a new campaign. "There is a prophecy saying that awakening of one of the rajahs of the Lords of Dust requires the fall of two unnamed cities on a different continent simultaneously. The speaker of this rajah recently discovered clues that would lead him to think these two cities are Dar Qat and Stormreach both in Xen'drik. So the speaker hires the PCs, in disguise of a kalashtar telling them about the secrets of the Inspired and wants help for destroying Dar Qat by an ignited rebellion among the slave races in the city. (I guess it is safe to assume that a rakshasa knows enough about the Inspired) While the PCs are trying to find ways to accomplish this task in Xen'drik; other pawns of the rakshasa speaker are running their own plots to destroy Stormreach. But the PCs doesnt know that their patron is actually the one behind all these events and they are pawns in a bigger plot." :plotting:
lordalm 11-29-06, 03:43 PM	An excellent idea, when do we start? Actually, who's going to run it, I want you and me both playing in that one. Well I guess that leaves Tim or Matt. Or Brian, yes Brian. Email him with the good news would you Goblin-Pride. He starts tomorrow.
fearthedwarves 11-29-06, 07:16 PM	OK here is another idea for you to consider (just for fun). The Inspired cause a revolution in Q'barra and take over in the ensuing chaos. They then start making some of thier psycic tower things, as part of their plan to start taking over Khorvaire (Most likely the kind that will let them more easily posses people, so they can bolster their ranks). The Insipred are being fiercly faught by the Gatekeepers, the Quori Mindhunters, and the Kalashtar, (none of whom are working together). Have the PC's get stuck in the middle of a fight, or if they are too low of a level, make them have an adventure just trying to escpe Q'barra. Then have them trying to convince the rest of the Khorvaire to join the fight against the Inspired. Or they could be trying to find enough followers to stand up to the Insipred by themselves before it is too late, and Khorvaire ends up like Sarlona. not bad (i think) for being off the top of my head:P Anyway good luck with your campaign, whatever you run:D!
CarrotColossus 11-29-06, 08:38 PM	I'm running a game and we are in between 3rd and 4th modules in the Shadow War series. I'm looking for ideas to get them up to the level I want them to start the 4th module. I was looking for ideas. I have two ideas. The first is I have them see the tail end of a Dreaming Dark assassination on a kalashtar psion who has twigged onto the Dreaming Dark/Deneith association and then they get to investigate the link, which will at this stage of the game will be show that it is a 'rogue' Deneith heir who is doing dodgy stuff but later I will have them blow open the whole scheme. I personally love the Dreaming Dark and I really want to add in psionics into the game as something really exotic and mysterious. The other is that the Sharn council elections are up and they are to protect one of the councillors and their electoral staff from a rival, I was thinking Daask or the Boromars but it could be an agent of the Lords of Dust or something. What are some other ideas that you guys have to get them to do something more than just a one scene adventure?
goblin_pride 12-02-06, 03:45 AM	Well I guess that leaves Tim or Matt. Or Brian, yes Brian. Email him with the good news would you Goblin-Pride. He starts tomorrow. Nope, you get to tell him. I can't stand seeing him cry.
Wren 12-02-06, 04:40 AM	The PC's start off investigating rumors of a haunted crypt, only to find that the place is not haunted... but a secret hideout for a Blood of the Vol or Dragon Below cult. Having clashed with the Cultists, the party finds they are now the target of agents of the cult trying to gain revenge on the party. You can have a relatively long campaign this way as the party fights off cultists in the shadows and attempts to crush enough of its members and leaders to end the threat.
Paranoia833 12-02-06, 09:57 AM	Hmm... here's a rough idea for a plotline I'd been kicking around in my head for a while, never really developed it much though: 1) The PCs arrive in a small mining village on the border of Breland and Droaam after being hired by house Orien to find out why the Byeshk trade caravans from that area have stopped coming. This module was basically 'the Burning Plague' one of the free modules available on this website, but the village was a Byeshk mining town and the villain was a Child of Winter (evil aligned druid) rather than a cleric of Gruumsh. Over the course of the adventure, the PCs would find out that the kobold tribes attacking the village were actually agents of Droaam and had been secretly selling small shipments of 'dry' Dragonsblood (an illegal drug used by the dragonmarked, transported as a dry claylike substence to avoid detection before being alchemically refined into its liquid form) to the town's house Tharashk representative. When the half-orc stopped showing up with payment (due to contracting the plague) the kobolds had assumed he'd gone back on their deal and attacked the village mine. The PCs would be encouraged to either give the dragonsblood either to the local priest (an informer for the dark lanterns). 2) Several weeks later, another Dark Lantern approaches the PCs. He tells them that their work in uncovering the dragonsblood trade's main route into Sharn was invaluable, and that he would like to procure their services in tracking down the refining plant within the city. All they currently know is that the shipents (which are now being run by the dark lanterns until the ring itself is caught) were being picked up by a one-eyed goblin and a human (actually two changelings) and that they took the shipments two Khyber's Gate (Sharn sums) before losing their pursuers. This adventure will be investigation based, with most of the work being finding out the identity of the collectors and the location of their residence. Most combat encounters will be with Daask thugs who take exception to the PCs curiosity. With some careful investigation (and perhaps the aid of an NPC Inquisitive sent to uncover the fate of the House Tharashk employees the PCs got arrested, if the PCs miss the various clues) they eventually track the two changelings down to an Artifice and Alchemy shop in Khyber's gate (detailed in Sharn: City of Towers) with the final battle being with the two changeling artificers and their homunculi (maybe toss in a few Daask orcs/bugbears depending on how difficult you want the battle to be) 3) From documents the PCs uncovered in the alchemy shop, the dark lantewrns have deduced that the Dragonsblood shipments are being delivered from an abondened Brelish keep within Droaam. The PCs will be sent into Droaam to eliminate the problem once and for all. During the course of the adventure the luitenant of the keeps master, an exiled scion of house Deneith, will offer to lead the PCs to the sole manufacturing plant of dragonsblood in exchange for a full pardon from Breland. The luitenant is actually an agent of the Dreaming Dark, who has been instructed to ensure that Breland and Droaam go to war as the first phase of a long ranging plot to re-start the Last War. The hags know that their is a traitor within Daask but have been biding their time waiting for the traitor to reveal themselves. Now that they know, they'll deploy a large force of monsters to capture the Denith scion for interrogation and kill the PCs. Meanwhile the PCs will continue their journey into the heart of Droaam... Ack! Got to go. Still that should be enough to qualify as a hook.
Thramzorean 12-02-06, 10:27 AM	Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to clense the world of the Lords of Dust. (Good Luck) But seriously I think something for a suitable Eberron atmosphere should have a 'noir' twist, something that is truly unbeatable, depressing and not at all fun. This doesn't have to overshadow the actual game enjoyment but there's no reason to have a feel good feeling being the end of an adventure at level 2. It just gets worse and worse and then you realize that in fact you really can't do anything about the corrupt Cardinal of Flame. (But you might give them a break 4 or 5 levels later) ;)
lordalm 12-02-06, 07:24 PM	Nope, you get to tell him. I can't stand seeing him cry. He didn't cry. He laughed and then brushed the whole thing off. I mean he has all of Tim's ability to show up on time. I mean he was perfect....
lordalm 12-02-06, 07:31 PM	A group of goblins begin the "restoration of the Dhakaani Empire." Which for some reason means razing the village the PCs are currently in. Some what to the concernation of the PCs the gobs got thier game on. Do the PCs' save the village from the fire or do they deal with the gobs currently exiting stage left after mission accomplished? If they save the village from the inferno, do they have time to track down and punish the bad goblins? Stay tuned, same bat channel, same bat time....
Shady314 12-03-06, 05:49 AM	Hello I am going to be starting to GM a base 1st level ebberon game soon and aside from a reletivly easy first level adventure I had allready made I'm not sure where to go for my Campaign. (The party should be level two after the first adventure.) What I would like is an overall story plot idea for my Campaign, like what I would want my party to work towards in general. I'm not very good at making an idea up off the top of my head and Ebberon is just so full of ideas it's hard to pick. :eek: Bottom line is i'm very good at expanding ideas, just not forming them, so I would kindly ask if anyone could give me an idea sparker for an overall plot for my Campaign. Ok here's what you do. Skim the ECS for things you think are kewl. Write them down. When you have like 20 go ahead and stop. Next to each thing you think is kewl write an idea next to it that is of grand proportions. If you think Dragons are kewl and you wrote that down. Put "explore Argonnessen" next to it or "discover more about the DM prophecy." etc. Take a coin and start eliminating ideas. (Assign each idea heads or tails and then go down it tournament ladder style.) What usually happens is an idea will be eliminated and you will find yourself very unhappy that it was eliminated. Expand that one more and then play it. If that doesn't happen expand the winner. Optionally: Bring your expanded idea to the forum for harsh but usually constructive criticism that further refines it and THEN play it. Guaranteed to work for those good at expanding ideas but poor at coming up with them.
goblin_pride 12-03-06, 11:11 AM	A group of goblins begin the "restoration of the Dhakaani Empire." Which for some reason means razing the village the PCs are currently in. Some what to the concernation of the PCs the gobs got thier game on. Do the PCs' save the village from the fire or do they deal with the gobs currently exiting stage left after mission accomplished? If they save the village from the inferno, do they have time to track down and punish the bad goblins? That's a good idea, but twist it a bit. Make it a goblin ghetto or village and have it attacked by goblins. That way if the PCs stop to help and they lose, the local magistrate can blow a gasket over their "indiscriminant slaughter" of his people. If they opt to leg it at the first sign of trouble you can blame them and slap a bounty on their head for the attack. And finally, the most fun is if they win defending the village then they get hired to go hit the village or ghetto that sent the raiding party, and thus they become guilty of the same crime they stopped at the beginning. It could easily get them involved in a civil war in Darguun, get them in a position that the local police have a bit of leverage on them or even introduce them to the Dhakaani remnant tribes.