Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ChaoticGood 01-30-06, 12:24 AM	Bob, Duncan, Dylan, Ed... no peeking! I don't know if you guys read the boards, but this contains spoilers for the current adventure! So, my roommate & I got ECS two weekends ago, and I took it to my regular gaming session that same day. Our regular DM is out of the picture for the moment due to financial problems, so we were going to play some Shadowrun for a while until he's back on feet... but as soon as the guys saw the Eberron books, they scrapped that plan and asked me to run an Eberron session for them. I had come into possession of the book approximately an hour before this... so I read my copy frantically while the guys passed around my roommate's copy and made characters. At this point, I'm going to recount what I did with what little time I had to prepare. It's a bit long-winded, so if you prefer to get right to my quandary, please skip down to the asterisks. To save time, I downloaded two adventures from the WotC site, Monte Cook's Ministry of the Winds, and the Williams' Treasure of the Black Veils. I flipped through the geography section to find someplace civilized near someplace swampy and settled on Q'Barra. I placed the Ministry in Newthrone (it was originally an outpost of the Demon stronghold in the jungle long before the city was built), and the fishing village of Fiore on the Crimson River, with the old church just across the river in the swamplands. (The Black Veil was a pirate ship that sacked the mission, rather than a band of thieves.) Substituting a few monsters for Eberron equivalents wasn't that hard; the minotaur in the Ministry became a Zakya Rakshasa, and the undead in the old church were replaced by a living cloudkill. The party Ranger had taken the Mark of the Sentinel, so the adventure was to play out like this: The Ranger has a contract from House Deneith to find and report the whereabouts of a young nobleman named Narbonne. He had gone off to Q'Barra in search of a great-uncle who had been one of the original settlers, and his last letters came from Newthrone. Once in Newthrone, Narbonne learned that his great-uncle was dead 20-odd years, but that his daughters had gone on to adventuring careers of their own. He also heard rumors about the Ministry's tower, and that it contained a library of local history dating from before the settlement of the city. He gained entrance by using his noble status to get the Zakya inside the Newthrone palace to steal the Scepter; in exchange, he was allowed to peruse the Xill's documents. From the documents, he learned that one of his second cousins, a Cleric of Dol Arrah, had left with a band of missionaries sailing for the Crimson River. He followed these clues to Fiore and the old ruined church. Once inside, he was killed by its new inhabitants, though the boss still uses Narbonne's likeness as an alibi for alter self spells on occasion. So the adventure consists of the party following the clues, ending up in the ruined church to find "Narbonne" half-buried under a pile of rubble, and then having him turn into a monster and attack them. *** OK, so if you've read all this, you probably think I've got a pretty good handle on things, being able to come up with all that in the hour and a half it took the players to make characters. But I have problem... the guys really like playing in Eberron, and they want me to keep DMing! Thanks to the Ministry of the Winds taking waaay longer than it should have (a full 12-hour session), and our last session being significantly shortened by scheduling conflicts, I have managed to stretch this double adventure to three sessions, but the party is now inside the abbey and only two encounters from the final boss. More importantly, though, I still haven't had time to read the ECS thoroughly, whilst at least two of my players have gone and downloaded everything the could find on the setting. Ergo, I'm totally out-classed in terms of setting knowledge. So I not only have to DM a setting-consistent campaign, but do so with a table of gamers with a higher level of knowledge about the setting than I possess. Ideas or suggestions on where to take the party from here would be helpful. I assume they will return to ... wherever House Deneith is headquartered... Breland? But then what? I'm thinking that I should use the Kalashtar Psion's race against him, maybe start some trouble with the Inspired... any thoughts? Also, what aspects of the campaign world's history do you think are most important to play up over the long term? Obviously, the tensions left over from the Last War... but does anything specific come to mind? Finally, since I prefer hard copies of my D&D books... what one Eberron book do I most need to add to my ECS to beef up my knowledge for the purposes of DMing in the campaign world?
Solarious 01-30-06, 03:03 AM	In truth, you don't need any book to beef up on Eberron knowledge. The ECS has all you really need, and a lot of the best supplemental stuff is actually free: your first resource beyond the ECS is the Hellcow's (that's the online alias of Keith Baker, the creator of the setting and resident Overgod of many of the most frequent and respected membersw of this forum) personal line of articles published on Wizards, the Dragonshards (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ds). Start from the bottom, work your way up. Hellcow's wisdom is infinite in it's scope, and the partaking of it's nectar shall mutiply your understanding tenfold. Second, check out some of the other Eberron articles available here. Eberron Under the Glass (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ug) is a nice introduction to the basics of this setting, which covers things ranging from how Healing is most frequently aquired (hint: most temples hoard their spells, if they have anyone capable of casting them, for the faithful), to the Goblin status quo and Race/Nationality deviations from a normal DnD campaign. Eberron Expanded (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ee), also written by Hellcow (Keith Baker), helps integrate optional books into Eberron's cosmology and world. JhonnyONeal's FAQ for Eberron Newbies (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=254109) is perfect for your needs. Afterwards, I highly recommend checking out the fan-created The Houses (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=442444) for one view of how the Dragonmarks place in Eberron. Critically accalimed by posters, and much of The Fireballed Mage's logic makes sense! :D Third: your bible is the Ask Keith Baker FAQ (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=287579). It contains over a year of Questions and Answers, all free and done on the time of Hellcow himself (see why so many of us worship him? ;)). Use the Find fuction (that would be pressing the f and Ctrl buttons at the same time) to quickly scan for keywords of a question that you want to ask. There is a possibility that it might have been answered before, and a year is a lot for people to ask questions. While none of the answers are cannon, they are very reasonable, make sense, and leave things open ended so you can craft the story. Randomly updated by the poster MarkB. Note, Keith is currently on a haitus, so don't expect instant answers when posting on the AKB thread. Fourth: We are your greatest resource! There are many knowledgeable posters who are more than willing to help "Inspire".... *coughhackcough* :shifty: Err... muse ideas for directions to take your campaign. Don't get intimidated though: many of us have our own biases. Edymnion is both vocal and a rabid defender of his own vision of Eberron (which can be slightly extreme at times), while Splendide is the foremost Gnome advocate that I know of in existance. Take everything we say with a grain of salt. Yes, this includes me, you'll see why in a moment. Fifth: the answer to your question! For a quick whirlwind tour of Khorvaire and a few places besides, I suggest you pick up the PLAYER'S GUIDE TO EBERRON. Despite much complaining, it really is a good book, with work that lines up (mostly) with the ECS. Three things in the book to keep an close eye on; mind the sidebars, which can be taken as cannon that certain races or classes or somewhere, and a lack of redundant races/subraces is one of the better points about Eberron; half elves can only have the mark of Warning or Storm, that the book says otherwise directly contradicts the ECS, and error sure to show up in erreta if WoTC has any sense of self-preservation; the Frostfell section is not particularly well written, this is a bias on my part, but the presence of subraces with no justification besides '"it's really cold here" and ramming the presence of a specific Rashaska Rajah down our throats is galling. Sixth: enjoy your experiences in Eberron! May the Dreaming Dark make the PC's life nightmare, your gnomes be devious beyond comprehension, and the Lords of the Dust be a looming presence that haunts your players.
dang 01-30-06, 03:34 AM	wow, what a great answer, solarious! many props. this is practically "sticky" good, as a quick FAQ answer.
Save-vs-DM 01-30-06, 04:37 AM	Solarious covered a lot of good points in his post so I won't rehash old news. But a few things could stand to be repeated. Important Free Eberron Resources Bossy the Cow (K.B. Website, Unofficial) (http://www.bossythecow.com/) Breland Ledger (Unofficial) (http://breland-ledger.blogspot.com/) Dragonshards Archive (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ds) Eberron Expanded Archive (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ee) Eberron Under the Glass Archive (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ug) Essential Eberron (Unofficial) (http://www.essential-eberron.com/) Jhonen Olan's Eberron Journal (Unofficial) (http://www.coveworld.net/eberron/index2.html) Korranberg Chronicle (Unofficial) (http://www.kchronicle.com) Sharn Inquisitive Archive (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/si) Steal This Hook Archive (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/sh) Now, general links and information (quite a bit of it, really) aside, there are a few things you can do to help yourself out and expand your knowledge quickly. Put Your Players to Work I would advise you to actually put your players to work and have them do some research for you. Each of your players probably has some connection to an Eberron organization or area. Have them type you up summaries of the organization and area that they are involved with. For example, your ranger could summarize information on house Deneith for you. That way both you and your players are oon the same page. Hand out extra XP or maybe a bonus feat as incentive. Focus on One Area If you feel that your players know more than you, pick one geographic location or villainous organization and really study up on them. Become intimately familar with a few small aspects of Eberron and focus your first campaign around this aspect. Focusing your attention on one area allows you to amass a good deal of knowledge about the parts you'll be running without taking too much time. As the game progresses you can expand your knowledge one area or organization at a time so that you can stay ahead of your players. Use the Message Boards These message boards (as you no doubt already know) are a great place to get quick answers. Don't hesitate to ask for help on these boards and help in creating adventures. Work With Your Players Be up front with your players and let them know your situation. Most players are more than understanding and will be willing to help you (and lend you books) if you ask. You're volunteering your time and effort to run games for them, so the least they can do is be understanding when you have to stop and look things up once in a while. If your players have books that you do not have, ask if you can borrow them for a weekend or two to read up on important aspects for your game. Dungeon Magazine Now, this isn't for everyone, but Dungeon magazine has been pretty good lately about supporting Eberron. There have been some pretty decent adventures for Eberron in the past few issues, so it might be worth a trip (or a subscription) to the game store to pick up a few copies. This can save you some time in planning adventures if you need it. Supplements While the suggestion of the Player's Guide to Eberron is valid, I think that what book you need the most will actually be dependant upon what type of game you'll be running. I'll try and summarize what each book is good for below. Explorer's Handbook This book is an excellent choice if (and only if) you're planning on a game with a lot of travel and exploration. It has some good plot hooks and as well as mid and stopping points. This probably wouldn't be my first choice unless I was planning in running a really globe trotting type game. Five Nations This is actually probably my first recommendation for a first supplement. It holds a great many plot hooks, an excellent overview of the five major nations, and a lot of other goodies for the DM. I probably use this book more than most of the others for general reference. You can get a lot of mileage out of this book. If you're unsure of what type of game to run, this is the book I recommend you pick up. Magic of Eberron While an excellent resource for players and DM alike, this book is probably not the first one you should purchase. It's too heavy on the crunch and too light on the fluff to really make it a good DM resource. Player's Guide to Eberron While I'm probably in the minority on this point, I wouldn't actually recommend the Player's Guide to Eberron as your first book. While it does provide an excellent overview to the world, I don't think it will actually give you the most "bang for your buck" when it comes to being a DM. There are little to know plot hooks inherent in the book and 75% of what you find in the book can be found in the campaign setting and the dragonshards. That being said, this wouldn't make a bad second or third purchase. Sharn: City of Towers Not many people really remember this book anymore, but it was the first (and perhaps best) book in the Eberron supplement line. If you're willing to commit to one area for a good deal of time (which may not be a bad thing, as posted above) this book is invaluable. My current campaign has taken place almost exclusively in Sharn. My PCs are level 7 and have only ventured outside the city once (on a short trip to Xen'drik) and have yet to accomplish even half thier goals. This book is so full of organizations and details about Sharn that it's not even funny. You could literally run an entire level 1 to 20 game set just in Sharn. The only downside would be that it doesn't work really well with published adventures, which need a variety of locations. However, if you don't mind making up your own adventures, this might be an excellent first choice. Bottom line, if you plan on using a lot of published adventures, I'd go with Five Nations. If you plan on making a lot of your own adventures and don't mind staying in one location until you get more books, get City of Towers. Finally, what would any advice be without some fun? My finaly advice to you is to watch a few movies to get yourself in the proper mood for running an Eberron game. Here are three movies I feel will help you both run and create adventures (these are all listed in the Eberron Campaign Setting as resources for a reason). Raiders of the Lost Ark: This movie is an excellent guide to "pulp adventure" and shows you how to create exciting and dynamic encounters. The Maltese Falcon: Pulp noir at its best. This is a good overview and introduction to noir that can drive many an Eberron game. From Hell: This is my primary resource for Sharn. I find the gritty images perfect for the City of Towers. It's also a good way to introduce suspense and plot twists to your game. Extra Credit The following T.V. shows have also greatly inspired my Eberron games. Firefly: The tone of this series is excellent for any game that involves a lot of Cyran refuges. It's also a great introduction to the "gray alignments" of Eberron. Johny Stacatto: This series is hard to find (I think Bravo shows re-runs) and only lasted a single season, but this is one of the best primers for an inquisitive/noir game I've ever had the priveledge to watch. It's old school and in black and white but the series is just amazingly cool. A google search should turn up a DvD copy, I think. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: I've cribbed many a plot hook from DS9. While this was not the most popular of the trek series, I find it's the best suited for Eberron. Simply replace the Obsidian Order with the Trust (gnomish organization), the Ferengi with house Kundarak, the Federation with Breland, and the Trill with Kalashtar and suddenly you have a working model of Eberron. Plus it was just a darn fine series and enjoyable to watch! I really hope this was helpful and wish you the best of luck in your gaming endeavours! Cheers, Save vs DM
igotsmeakabob!! 01-30-06, 04:58 AM	Next Generation and DS9 are my favorite treks... actually they're the only 2 treks I like (then again I've only seen them and the original with Kirk). nice to see another fan, and I never thought of those connections.
LugWrench 01-30-06, 08:36 AM	If your players are downloading books (a bit on the grey side, there) why not ask them what book would be a good addition. You may get a different answer from each one, but have them show you what they are using from each book, and get a rough feel for what would work best. If they are looking for the 'movers, shakers, and power players' of Eberron, then go with either 5 Nations, or Sharn. If they are looking for "everything", then Players Guide to Sharn should work. As for modules, or ideas for modules, got a favorite movie, or movie genre? A little tweaking here and there, and quite a few action movies, or mysteries, if you prefer, can form the basis of a module or even a story arc. For some of the best ideas for scenarios, look at your characters. Their race, and land of origin can provide some excelent plot ideas. Heck, even their religion and deity can provide a driving force. What happens when a follower of the Silver Flame is sent out to arrest a shifter on 'suspicions of lycanthopy', to be brought in for interrogation? Does the devout blindly follow orders, or does he do some digging and find out the shifter is just some innocent who made the mistake of crossing an ecclesiarch (sp) a few months ago?
Euangelion 01-30-06, 12:01 PM	I put together a non-stickied FAQ of things in Eberron that have been left up to the DM to decide here. (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=548459)
igotsmeakabob!! 01-30-06, 12:20 PM	Euangelion I just read your Morgrave university thing in yer sig.... funny stuff.
Splendide 01-30-06, 04:55 PM	Coming from a Shadowrun background is a superb entry into Eberron, as (through megacorps) you already know roughly how the concept of neutral dragonmarked houses should work. Really, you could probably rip-off some other ideas from Shadowrun. For example, make their next hired task come from a neutral source...maybe capturing a powerful relic from a temple of the Dragon Below. On their return, have a second party attempt to eliminate the party and capture the relic. This party may or may not be hired by the same source the party was - you know the drill...the aftermath of this sort of event can last sessions in itself and, just like the writers of Lost, you can just keep making up more and more convoluted conspiracies on the fly. Its great stuff. Of course if you're the type of GM that likes planned adventures, my advice is worthless :D For antagonists, I would favour the following: * Royal Eyes of Aundair: Anything powerful could be in the nation's best interest. (organisation detail in Five Nations). The high-magic of Aundair is a great way to intimidate parties. * Gnomes: Great to work in because their motivations could be anything, and they could easily get involved in anything, particularly if your party like hanging around the south coast of Khorvaire. * House Tharashk: They are beginning to tread on Deneith's toes in terms of manpower, and according to your synopsis, the party is almost treading on Tharashk's. Half-orcs with money and organization make great villains. I would avoid * The Dreaming Dark: Until you know a lot about them, it is pretty likely that they will just annoy your party with the fact that you can never actually get rid of them. A lot of subtlety is required to make them believable but also beatable. * The Lord of Blades: He's cheesy and lame. * Magic of Eberron: If your party are looking for an alternative to Shadowrun, the sections on grafting will ruin this. I would get the books * Sharn - City of Towers: It is definitely the best Eberron supplement, and every party goes to Sharn eventually. * Five Nations: A fair amount of good background info if the ECS leaves you unfulfilled.
ChaoticGood 01-31-06, 01:26 AM	Holy cow, you folks in the Eberron boards are amazing. I expected a couple of two- or three-line off-the-cuffs, and here you guys give me page-length replies with book summaries and everything! Thanks! I'm glad to hear the style suggestions include Firefly and Indiana Jones, both of which are big hits with our group. Furthermore, on the Shadowrun angle... we were actually going to try to learn that system... hehe. OK, so from what I'm seeing here, I think my best bet is to pick up Five Nations, because I'd like to get right into the meat of the setting. They definitely ticked off some folks in New Galifar, so my current thought is to have a series of adventures in which they are shadowed by bounty hunters on their trip home and eventually have to confront them and face up for the crimes they unwittingly committed. And now that you mention it, Splendide, they have been treading on House Tharashk's territory... so maybe they get to handle two groups of bounty hunters, each after a different bounty... And the best part is, they don't yet even know they committed the crime for which the first group is hunting them! Bwahahaha! :evillaugh Once again, thanks, everyone!