Post/Author/DateTime	Post
leiff 02-21-07, 02:46 PM	I'm planning a military game set in eberron. I want the PCs to be an elite group from one of the major nations. I wanted the game to be set after the last war, but due to political situations the last war begins again. I'm having trouble coming up with each nation's role in this new war, so if anyone is willing to help me sift through all this I'd be grateful. Originally I was having an heir for Cyre emerge, supposedly banished into another plane for the duration of peace and now that he is back he wants to rule. Since Cyre is gone his goal is to instead re-form the nation of galifar. At first it would not amount to much, but in each nation throughout Khorvaire their would be supporters and rebellion groups would form in the name of the true nation of galifar. The turning point of this hot bed would be when one of these group actually manages to assassinate the Queen of Aundair. With no immediate political figure the nation falls apart and many people try to get to the throne. Among the potential throneholders, the two most influential is the actual heir of aundair and the other a pro-galifar supporter. With no leadership it would be an easier transition to re-uniting then if there was a stable monarch. Breland offers its assistance to make the transition from leader go smoother, but while they are in Aundair many breland citizens begin to spout democratic propaganda. The silverflame sees this as an opportunity to both spread the flame and deal with Karrnath who they've been in a cold war of sorts since the last war. Thrane declares a Holy Crusade against Karrnath, due to their use of abominations (undead), this is done to bolster the nation against re-uniting with the other nations and to gear them up for war. With the rest of the nations at arms Valenar uses it as an opportunity to get aggressive and they attack Darguun. This so far is where I am, this is a very very loose outline and I'm interested in suggestions to make this outline a little smoother.
Yakman 02-21-07, 03:01 PM	I'm planning a military game set in eberron. I want the PCs to be an elite group from one of the major nations. I wanted the game to be set after the last war, but due to political situations the last war begins again. I'm having trouble coming up with each nation's role in this new war, so if anyone is willing to help me sift through all this I'd be grateful. Originally I was having an heir for Cyre emerge, supposedly banished into another plane for the duration of peace and now that he is back he wants to rule. Since Cyre is gone his goal is to instead re-form the nation of galifar. At first it would not amount to much, but in each nation throughout Khorvaire their would be supporters and rebellion groups would form in the name of the true nation of galifar. Well, Oargev is already sitting in New Cyre, and by the Code of Galifar, he's the lawful heir of both Cyre and Galifar, so you don't need to make up anyone to fill that role. But since you aren't using that idea, let's move on.... The turning point of this hot bed would be when one of these group actually manages to assassinate the Queen of Aundair. With no immediate political figure the nation falls apart and many people try to get to the throne. Among the potential throneholders, the two most influential is the actual heir of aundair and the other a pro-galifar supporter. With no leadership it would be an easier transition to re-uniting then if there was a stable monarch. Breland offers its assistance to make the transition from leader go smoother, but while they are in Aundair many breland citizens begin to spout democratic propaganda. The silverflame sees this as an opportunity to both spread the flame and deal with Karrnath who they've been in a cold war of sorts since the last war. Thrane declares a Holy Crusade against Karrnath, due to their use of abominations (undead), this is done to bolster the nation against re-uniting with the other nations and to gear them up for war. So you want it like so: Aundair unrest leads to a Breland occupation/regency. Boranel appoints someone to govern Aundair until Aurala's heir is of age--with or without the consent of Aundair's royal house (you need a good motive for his actions, or why the royal house would allow this, as Boranel's not a bad guy in the ECS). Some groups in Aundair don't like the Brelanders and start making noise. Meanwhile, Thrane, taking advantage of Aundair's weakness and Breland's occupation, moves against Karrnath. is that it? Okay, it's workable. The problem is that it doesn't really restart the Last War. It's really more like two wars--Karrnath v. Thrane and Breland v. Aundairan rebels. They aren't really interconnected. You need a mechanism integrating them, and then figure out how to balance out Breland's massive superiority in numbers and wealth. With the rest of the nations at arms Valenar uses it as an opportunity to get aggressive and they attack Darguun. (Un)fortunately, the Mournland is directly in their way... ;) But I guess they have boats.... Again, we aren't really connecting the conflicts. Now it's just three separate wars operating independently.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 02-21-07, 04:44 PM	How about this (I've based most of it on your own ideas): -After Aurala is assassinated, Lord Darro and First Warlord Adal both attempt to take the throne. Both have very different views of the future of the country, with Adal being the more aggressive. Darro, while secretly working to secure a force for his Eldeen campaign, plays up the idea of wanting peace and security. However, Adal is using a nationalist approach to stir up support for a campaign to retake Aundair's ancient capital, Thaliost, from Thrane. -The two both gain a huge following, effectively dividing the nation in two: those supporting Darro's stable Aundair, and those supporting Adal's aggressive Aundair. The factions lead to violence within the country. Adal, who has been gaining more support with other political figures, declares martial law and takes control. -Darro, who has been gaining more foreign support than his rival, appeals for aid from Breland. Breland says that it will get involved only if Adal makes a move on Thrane. Thrane makes it clear it does not condone a Brelish occupation of Aundair. -Adal makes a move on Thaliost, despite pressure from Breland. Breland invades southern Aundair, occupying the southern towns and Fort Vanguard. Thrane, hesitant to be drawn into a larger conflict but determined to hold on to Thaliost, defends its own territory without moving onto Aundairian soil. -Northern Aundair (under Adal's rule) secures the allegiance of Karrnath, which then bolsters Adal's forces in Thrane. -New Cyre declares independence from a distracted Breland, and Thrane offers its political support. So the factions at the start of the conflict would be divided as follows: 1. Southern Aundair (under Darro's rule, occupied by Breland) Breland 2. Thrane New Cyre 3. Northern Aundair (under Adal's rule) Karrnath
goblin_pride 02-21-07, 04:44 PM	With the rest of the nations at arms Valenar uses it as an opportunity to get aggressive and they attack Darguun. Somehow I think after the first skirmish the Valenar would realize that Darguun isn't the Dhakaani empire and move on to a better conflict. I may be over-estimating the Valenar, but if they're looking to relive old campaigns and battle-honors, they'll find Darguun sorely lacking.
Yakman 02-21-07, 05:35 PM	Somehow I think after the first skirmish the Valenar would realize that Darguun isn't the Dhakaani empire and move on to a better conflict. I may be over-estimating the Valenar, but if they're looking to relive old campaigns and battle-honors, they'll find Darguun sorely lacking. And they'll be wiped off the face of the earth. 60,000 elves against 800,000 goblinoids, and I'll have some roast elf on the side, please.
goblin_pride 02-21-07, 05:38 PM	And they'll be wiped off the face of the earth. 60,000 elves against 800,000 goblinoids, and I'll have some roast elf on the side, please. Shhh, there's not really 800,000, honest....
Yakman 02-21-07, 05:42 PM	New Cyre declares independence from a distracted Breland, and Thrane offers its political support. So the factions at the start of the conflict would be divided as follows: 1. Southern Aundair (under Darro's rule, occupied by Breland) Breland 2. Thrane New Cyre 3. Northern Aundair (under Adal's rule) Karrnath Why would Thrane ally with New Cyre and anger its allies, the Brelanders and Darro's faction? After all, Breland is safeguarding Thrane's borders from Aundair.
UnderworldLord 02-21-07, 05:42 PM	I have to admit, if there was a better stretch of land for them to have combat over, I'd like to see the Valenar and Draguun fight. But you're still forgetting Zilargo, Droaam, Mror Holds, Q'barra, th Eldeen, The Lord of Blades, and what in the name of the Host do the Houses think here? I'm sure there are more things here, of course, but thats what I've got for now.
goblin_pride 02-21-07, 05:47 PM	I have to admit, if there was a better stretch of land for them to have combat over, I'd like to see the Valenar and Draguun fight. But you're still forgetting Zilargo, Droaam, Mror Holds, Q'barra, th Eldeen, The Lord of Blades, and what in the name of the Host do the Houses think here? I'm sure there are more things here, of course, but thats what I've got for now. I would imagine the Valenar would rather help the Dhakaani reforge a new empire before they get down to the old grudges first. A real test of Valenar might would be reopening hostilities on an empire that vastly outnumbered them. Granted it'd be a bit on the strange side to see the Valenar and the Dhakaani working together to rebuild the empire, but for the Valenar, what's a decade or two helping them get rebuilt so the real fun can begin again. Gods help the poor buggers in Breland if that level of pragmitism is adopted by other DMs. Having both the Wolf and the Horse chewing at your borders could prove very detrimental.
UnderworldLord 02-21-07, 06:00 PM	Damn GP, that makes sense. So Brelands out of it with the two most martial nations knocking on its doors, despite the fact that, as the karns note, they can return t wartime production with relative ease. Aundair, with Aurala gone, will have its hands full with the aforementioned civil war. Karrnath and Thrane will be having problems with each other, and thats probably the only reason Aundair won't be torn in half in a more literal sense. And there are still those damned gnomes, the dwarves, another whole nother continent of elves... yada yada, with the reitition of my first post. But through all of this, I forgot about Vol. Yes she has minions in Karrnath. But would she dare make Aundair a deal similar to the one she offered Kaius. That would give her root in two nations, out of the four.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 02-21-07, 06:53 PM	Why would Thrane ally with New Cyre and anger its allies, the Brelanders and Darro's faction? After all, Breland is safeguarding Thrane's borders from Aundair. Because Thrane isn't allied with South Aundair and Breland...it opposes occupation of Aundair by Breland, since it doesn't want expansion of Breland, especially into Arcanix. That would explain why Thrane might not condemn a New Cyre independence, but I have to admit, I hadn't thought through why they'd outright ally with them. More hostile borders are not what Thrane needs (unless New Cyre were able to spread that far north, which is unlikely). Really, though, its probably better to leave New Cyre out of it. I did kind of tack that on the end ;)
UnderworldLord 02-21-07, 09:33 PM	Okay. So somehow Auraula gets her neck split. Two warlords struggle for control. Breland sides with the part of Aundair [South] going into Thrane. Thrane sides with New Cyre as a bite back at Breland, as well as Joining North Aundair in a campaign against Karrnath. Karrnath, having only a small front, and minimal forces, only needs to control the waterways between it and the Mournland. The Valenar are too far out of the action to do anything, except go through Talenta to strike Karrnath. The Mror Holds can either wait it out, or strike Karrnath while its subverted to battleing increasing raids from the south, and the front on the west. Droaam now has the perfect time to move into Breland now, as does Darguun. That leaves the Zil, the LoBster, the Eldeen, Sarlona [pefect time for 'emissaries of peace' right?], the Lahzaar principalities [too out of the way really], and Vol. The Zil might ally with Breland to work against the Dhakaani, who have allied with the Valenar in an offer to bring them to the middle of things [and wouldn't they love that]. LoBster being in the Mournland, might take this opportunity to strike out... but where? The Eldeen Probably will stay out of it mostly. I can see lots of Ashbound looking at Aundair with very mean eyes, though I don't expect too much from the west, except maybe a few minor scares from the CoW. I dunno much about Q'barra, but it seems almost as out of the way as the Lazhaar Principalities and Valenar. So here's my take: Mror Holds [maybe] vs Karrnath vs Thrane & North Aundair vs Breland & South Aundair & Zil vs Darguun & Valenar
goblin_pride 02-21-07, 10:41 PM	Thrane sides with New Cyre as a bite back at Breland, as well as Joining North Aundair in a campaign against Karrnath. New Cyre might have a bit of trouble with that one. Considering that New Cyre is in Breland and fairly close to the Darguuni and Zil border, any fight there would cause the next great war to fully envelop Breland. As Brelish troops move towards New Cyre, the Droaamite and Darguuni forces would probably take the opportunity to pour their troops over the less defended borders and suddenly you have huge portions of Breland being held by foreign invaders. And just to make matters worse, what are the odds that the Parliamentary factions in Breland would decide it's time to have a democratic Breland? Suddenly Breland is divided into the Droaamite, Darguuni, Cyran, monarchist Brelish and Parliamentary Brelish sections and that's not even considering the allies of the suddenly reformed Cyre. Will Thrane seize a piece in return for the troops they loaned Cyre? How about Karrnath, are they going to grab a chunk before all the bits are taken? And don't forget Sharn, that cosmopolitan wonder that is the city of towers. How will all the factions of the nations in the city of Towers handle the now dismembered Breland, will they decide it's time their side took the city?
UnderworldLord 02-21-07, 10:56 PM	Karrnath isn't close enough to make a claim. Zil would probably be the ones taking it to the Goblinoids, since they were enslaved by them originally, but they are borrowing Brelish production capacities. Also, Brelish parlimentary might consider taking less drastic action: realistically, they can either assassinate Boranel, or let him take the reins until they have a better situation.
Yakman 02-22-07, 11:20 AM	One problem that I have with assassinating Aurala is that she's a rather interesting character, and killing her to start the war doesn't really appeal to me--it takes someone out that I think has a lot of dramatic potential.