Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Justin2166 Apr 08, 2015 9:35:31	Hi folks.  I'm running an Eberron campaign with a group of four players.  The initial hook is that now that the war is over, people are looking towards their education and future.  Morgrave University has created somewhat prestigious tech school for the modern adventurerer and in addition to the recognition across khorvaire graduates will recieve both traveling papers and a business license from Breland.   The group are members of this program and have studied there for several months before the game starts.  After which each party member was summoned by the headmaster and given a field test:   -Travel to the foothills of the Howling Peaks of Zilargro to check on the estate of an adjunct professor, Billhelm Fizzlewitz. The headmaster is concerned because Fizzlewitz was supposed to arrive at Morgrave some time during the spring term. Upon question from the group as to what Fizzlewitz's area of study, it was revealed he studies planar travel. The headmaster added before the group left, specific instructions that if anything happened to Fizzlewitz, to take his notes and any relevant artifacts and antiquities to be reclaimed by the university.   We left off last session with the group arriving at Fizzlewitz's manor, where the door is ajar and there are signs of a struggle. Small spherical constructs with rail thin arms and legs (Modrons, MM page 224, mostly monodrones) seem to be swarming inside.   Now I'm looking for some sort of direction to take this. I'd like there to be some sort of foul play, but I'm not really sure who to go about blaming. I like the idea of this quirky little gnome adjuct professor accidently opening a portal to the Plane of Mechanus, but how can I have this lead to any adventure beyond closing the portal and returning right back to Morgrave? I'm a little stuck because I need a bad guy to blame, I think. Any ideas?   The group is currently level 1 by the way. Unless I find something, I've kind of written myself into a corner. Help save my group from a boring story!
#2 Kentus Apr 08, 2015 10:00:06	I would make it that way (since its Eberron), that the Morgrave Professor actually hired some less renowned people or other interests to kill Fizzlewitz indirectly and then the PCs to get his stuff in a semi-official way. These evil fellows might have opened a gate to Daanvi (since in Eberron there is no Mechanus, normally) or maybe these Mondrones are actually a House Cannith experiments (and only are looking like real Mondrones) and House Cannith are the ones, who works together with the Morgrave professor. Maybe Fizzlewitz's study of the planes will be used to summon a stronger being into the world and if House Cannith is connected to it, maybe a especially opportunistic youngster wants to trap this being into a construct, item or machine, to power it. Maybe a Celestial from Shavarath, who shall empower a magic wand, which can heal people indefinetly, a fine object, but the price might be too high.   One of the first things you have to remember if you want to make an interesting campaign instead of some nice sessions are always interests, conflicts and how to cross the PCs. ;)
#3 iserith Apr 08, 2015 11:14:39	The Trust, in a secret affiliation with the Library of Korranberg, learned of Fizzlewitz's work, deemed it harmful to the peaceful order of Zilargo, and arrived just as the portal to Daanvi was opened. Overwhelmed by the monodrones, they took the professor away along with all of his artifacts, antiquities and research notes to a secure, undisclosed location in Reven. Now a group of specialists from the Golden Door of House Kundarak are en route to seal the portal before further damage is done. They are to report their results to a Trust contact in Reven when finished.   After a set number of days, the Trust operatives move Fizzlewitz and his work to the Library of Korranberg, where he is never heard from again. So time is of the essence.
#4 CCS Apr 08, 2015 20:05:01	Surprisingly there is no badguy. Fizzlewitz accidently opened a portal to Mechnus (never mind that that apparently doesn't exist in Ebberron - I know jack about the setting) & curiosity got the better of him (especially if such a place isn't supposed to exist!). So he decided to step through and have a look around.... For whatever reason the portal remained open behind him, allowing Modrons access to Ebberon. So the players have to enter the portal, find Fizzlewits, and bring him back. Of course they have to get through the Modrons in the house 1st. And navigate a completely alien environment filled with sentient shapes (conveniently represented by dice!). And get back through the portal before it closes But of course it WILL close on them just as they almost succeed ;)....
#5 TrueManiek Apr 09, 2015 1:28:26	Maybe by studying the planes, he became infatuated with Xoriat, and tried to unveil a little of it’s maddens, but he went crazy and went of the grid, disguising it as and abduction, and is now trying to summon something horrifying and powerful to this world from the plane of madness. The Gatekeepers and The trust can be seen by players as bad guys or good guys, depending on circumstances. And the powerful being from Xoriat is already starting to affect the people in Zilargo, firstly targeting the ones that getting close to stopping Fizzlewitz.