A tainted Eberron: [Archive] - Wizards Community

A tainted Eberron: [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
skrap-san
02-08-08, 06:49 AM I'm thinking about implementing taint in one of my Eberron campaigns. And I was wondering if someone out there had any experiences to share about this.

My idea is to use it with manifest zones and the likes. Sort of to make it a bit more costly to go bad places like the demon wastes. I really want it to be a special moment when it starts affecting them, so I'm not going to over use it. Just wondered if someone had anything to share concerning the rules and such.
spectralphoenix
02-08-08, 02:46 PM Put this in the other thread so I'll repost it:

Khyber [as well as the Mournlands] might also be a prime spot for some taint.

That said, you do want be careful with taint because heavily tainted areas can take apart a character fast.
skrap-san
02-08-08, 05:24 PM thanks for the advice, and yes, I do not intend for them to be in the tainted area for very long.
AlHazred
02-08-08, 11:59 PM I always thought the Taint rules would work really well for the influence of Khyber. That's the mechanical reason behind the malign forces that seem to descend on those unfortunate or foolish enough to read the Books (Demihu)Mankind Was Not Meant To Read, go places Kings Fear To Tread, and otherwise do Bad Stuff. Sure, when you read the Mysteries of the Wyrm you gain all kinds of kewl new spells, but you also suffer prophetic nightmares or develop phobias.

In Eberron, I would apply Taint to the Mournlands and Khyber. I would also apply taint to anything more than a cursory study of Prophecy Marks (the large dragonmark-like symbols that appear on the land, in caverns, and so on), nightmares (corruption by the quori could be worked out as a similar system), artifacts dating from the fall of Xen'drik or Dhakaan (again, quori or daelkyr influence), time spent in other planes (specifically thinking of Xoriat, Dal Quor, Dolurrh, Mabar, and Kythri, though a good case could be made for each of them), and so on.

I would also use the Taint system to model the effects of aberrant dragonmarks. In this regard, I would suggest you check out Keith Baker's article on Aberrant dragonmarks and the Aberrant Paragon class in an issue of Dragon Magazine.
skrap-san
02-09-08, 01:53 AM Well i was going to make taint mostly bound by places. I was thinking about Demon wastes, different evil aligned manifest zones. After the advices I have gotten here I will include different places of the Mournlands, parts of Khyber and that should do it. But yes linking them towards the dragoconic prophecy and dragonmarks would also be a cool effect, especially since I have one character with the mark of passage in my group.
AlHazred
02-09-08, 12:10 PM I found the issue I was looking for. An article in Dragon #332 deals with the Cults of the Dragon Below, and has some excellent bits in it.

Thinking about it, having the Aberrant Dragonmark feat should force you to make a save or you get a point of Taint (corruption or depravity -- player's choice? based on what power it gives you?). This models the fluff, where people with Aberrant Dragonmarks may hear whispered voices, manifest odd physical symptoms, etc.

There should be some way to remodel the various Aberrant stuff to incorporate the Taint rules. Lesser Aberrant Dragonmark and Greater Aberrant Dragonmark (from the Dragonmarked book) should carry greater levels of Taint, and you should probably also get them from taking levels in the Aberrant Paragon class (from Dragon #332), the Child of Khyber prestige class (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20070416a), the Heir of Khyber prestige class (http://www.geocities.com/valmothg/HeirOfKhyber.pdf), or the Aberrant Heir prestige class (http://www.savevsdm.com/pdf/abrheir.pdf). Maybe they all gain the Taint Suppression class ability of the Tainted Scholar (from Heroes of Horror)?

Also, you should keep this in mind (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-590838).
skrap-san
02-09-08, 07:34 PM Thank you so much, this will actually fit really well with one of the bad guys I have planned.
ChutneyDan
02-14-08, 11:25 AM Out of interest which Taint mechanic are you using?

I don't own Heroes of Horror but have Oriental Adventures.

Are those two Taints similar?
skrap-san
02-14-08, 05:01 PM I have the Taint system presented in Unearthed Arcana, also found here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/taint.htm).
ChutneyDan
02-15-08, 05:05 AM Cheers.
skrap-san
02-15-08, 06:01 AM I'm thinking of modifying the system a bit, to make it harsh, but not that harsh.
Give them a temporary 1d3 con/wis damage when entering the area, another point of temporary damage for every 12 hours.
And for every 24 hours they recieve a semipermanent taint point that has to be removed with the normal means.

Anyone think this is to weak for a level 7 party? The quest where I'm using this don't have the time added to clean themselves, its a bit of a race against time.
AlHazred
02-15-08, 12:29 PM I found a reference I was looking for, on page 37 of the Player's Guide to Eberron, where it describes the Heroes of Horror Taint mechanic applied to the Demon Wastes. Good stuff.

What we really need is an Eberron Expanded (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ee) article for Heroes of Horror.
skrap-san
02-15-08, 01:07 PM That would be good, cant say i remember that part of PGE but then again i plowed through it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
skrap-san 02-08-08, 06:49 AM	I'm thinking about implementing taint in one of my Eberron campaigns. And I was wondering if someone out there had any experiences to share about this. My idea is to use it with manifest zones and the likes. Sort of to make it a bit more costly to go bad places like the demon wastes. I really want it to be a special moment when it starts affecting them, so I'm not going to over use it. Just wondered if someone had anything to share concerning the rules and such.
spectralphoenix 02-08-08, 02:46 PM	Put this in the other thread so I'll repost it: Khyber [as well as the Mournlands] might also be a prime spot for some taint. That said, you do want be careful with taint because heavily tainted areas can take apart a character fast.
skrap-san 02-08-08, 05:24 PM	thanks for the advice, and yes, I do not intend for them to be in the tainted area for very long.
AlHazred 02-08-08, 11:59 PM	I always thought the Taint rules would work really well for the influence of Khyber. That's the mechanical reason behind the malign forces that seem to descend on those unfortunate or foolish enough to read the Books (Demihu)Mankind Was Not Meant To Read, go places Kings Fear To Tread, and otherwise do Bad Stuff. Sure, when you read the Mysteries of the Wyrm you gain all kinds of kewl new spells, but you also suffer prophetic nightmares or develop phobias. In Eberron, I would apply Taint to the Mournlands and Khyber. I would also apply taint to anything more than a cursory study of Prophecy Marks (the large dragonmark-like symbols that appear on the land, in caverns, and so on), nightmares (corruption by the quori could be worked out as a similar system), artifacts dating from the fall of Xen'drik or Dhakaan (again, quori or daelkyr influence), time spent in other planes (specifically thinking of Xoriat, Dal Quor, Dolurrh, Mabar, and Kythri, though a good case could be made for each of them), and so on. I would also use the Taint system to model the effects of aberrant dragonmarks. In this regard, I would suggest you check out Keith Baker's article on Aberrant dragonmarks and the Aberrant Paragon class in an issue of Dragon Magazine.
skrap-san 02-09-08, 01:53 AM	Well i was going to make taint mostly bound by places. I was thinking about Demon wastes, different evil aligned manifest zones. After the advices I have gotten here I will include different places of the Mournlands, parts of Khyber and that should do it. But yes linking them towards the dragoconic prophecy and dragonmarks would also be a cool effect, especially since I have one character with the mark of passage in my group.
AlHazred 02-09-08, 12:10 PM	I found the issue I was looking for. An article in Dragon #332 deals with the Cults of the Dragon Below, and has some excellent bits in it. Thinking about it, having the Aberrant Dragonmark feat should force you to make a save or you get a point of Taint (corruption or depravity -- player's choice? based on what power it gives you?). This models the fluff, where people with Aberrant Dragonmarks may hear whispered voices, manifest odd physical symptoms, etc. There should be some way to remodel the various Aberrant stuff to incorporate the Taint rules. Lesser Aberrant Dragonmark and Greater Aberrant Dragonmark (from the Dragonmarked book) should carry greater levels of Taint, and you should probably also get them from taking levels in the Aberrant Paragon class (from Dragon #332), the Child of Khyber prestige class (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20070416a), the Heir of Khyber prestige class (http://www.geocities.com/valmothg/HeirOfKhyber.pdf), or the Aberrant Heir prestige class (http://www.savevsdm.com/pdf/abrheir.pdf). Maybe they all gain the Taint Suppression class ability of the Tainted Scholar (from Heroes of Horror)? Also, you should keep this in mind (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-590838).
skrap-san 02-09-08, 07:34 PM	Thank you so much, this will actually fit really well with one of the bad guys I have planned.
ChutneyDan 02-14-08, 11:25 AM	Out of interest which Taint mechanic are you using? I don't own Heroes of Horror but have Oriental Adventures. Are those two Taints similar?
skrap-san 02-14-08, 05:01 PM	I have the Taint system presented in Unearthed Arcana, also found here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/taint.htm).
ChutneyDan 02-15-08, 05:05 AM	Cheers.
skrap-san 02-15-08, 06:01 AM	I'm thinking of modifying the system a bit, to make it harsh, but not that harsh. Give them a temporary 1d3 con/wis damage when entering the area, another point of temporary damage for every 12 hours. And for every 24 hours they recieve a semipermanent taint point that has to be removed with the normal means. Anyone think this is to weak for a level 7 party? The quest where I'm using this don't have the time added to clean themselves, its a bit of a race against time.
AlHazred 02-15-08, 12:29 PM	I found a reference I was looking for, on page 37 of the Player's Guide to Eberron, where it describes the Heroes of Horror Taint mechanic applied to the Demon Wastes. Good stuff. What we really need is an Eberron Expanded (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archeb/ee) article for Heroes of Horror.
skrap-san 02-15-08, 01:07 PM	That would be good, cant say i remember that part of PGE but then again i plowed through it.