Help me quickstart an Eberron game - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Help me quickstart an Eberron game

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
johnnii
Jan 18, 2011 5:41:23 So I might take on the reins DMing an Eberron game. Problem is, I'm not very familiar with the world except broadly by themes and world design but it has captured my interest.

So how would a typical "level 1 introductory" adventure look like in this world. I'm looking at starting small (ie not gettting started in Sharn) while at the same time showing the elements of what makes Eberron unique (I'm guessing it's the magic technology, but I coould be wrong?) all the while having an action and swashbuckling theme to it that could capture the players interest.

I'm hoping it's not too much I'm asking for, just hoping that someone made something like this in the past. I did read Khyber's Harvest adventure, but it wasn't of my taste unfortunately.
#2
Ogiwan
Jan 18, 2011 17:21:27 If you have the Eberron Campaign Guide (ECG), there's a level 1 adventure in the back that, aside from being somewhat hard to get started, is freaking pimp. Takes place in Sharn, though, but....the climactic fight has the PCs on a skycoach being chased by goblins on hovering disc-things.

Anyways. To me, the elements of Eberron are the high-magic stuff you've mentioned, but also the "punk" elements; noir drama, pulp action, shades of grey, so on and so forth.

So, can you give us any more information to work with? Party composition, what themes you might want to investigate, whatever?

Oh, also, read the ECG. There's plenty of plot hooks there.
#3
Style75
Jan 23, 2011 11:21:42 You need a quick setup with a spectacular backdrop followed by a short but intense encounter. Both the setup and the encounter need to show off the main features of the Eberron world: noble houses, warforged, intrigue, high tech magic.

For example, I started a campaign with the PC's as a group of mercenaries hired by one of the noble houses to guard the construction of a new rail line in the countryside. The PC's could see a mighty city in the distance. The rail line was attacked by a band of rebel warforged who were abandoned after the last war. After the battle the PC's discovered that the warforged were hired by a rival house. The PC's spot an agent of the house and take off in hot pursuit by leaping aboard the agents skycoach. I then ran the "Fight in the Skies" encounter from p. 280 of the ECG, but having them race through the mountains and replacing the goblins with other agents.

Overall, it worked well. I think the key is in the description of the environment. You have to draw attention to the little details that make it stand out from Forgotten Realms and Points of Light.
#4
naturax
Jan 23, 2011 22:17:16 Also take a look at the ECS written for 3.5 that has an excellent intro adventure in the back of the book. I agree that it's really important that your first adventure set the tone of Eberron by introducing yourself and your players to all the things that, at least in your mind, make Eberron different than other settings you've used.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 johnnii Jan 18, 2011 5:41:23	So I might take on the reins DMing an Eberron game. Problem is, I'm not very familiar with the world except broadly by themes and world design but it has captured my interest. So how would a typical "level 1 introductory" adventure look like in this world. I'm looking at starting small (ie not gettting started in Sharn) while at the same time showing the elements of what makes Eberron unique (I'm guessing it's the magic technology, but I coould be wrong?) all the while having an action and swashbuckling theme to it that could capture the players interest. I'm hoping it's not too much I'm asking for, just hoping that someone made something like this in the past. I did read Khyber's Harvest adventure, but it wasn't of my taste unfortunately.
#2 Ogiwan Jan 18, 2011 17:21:27	If you have the Eberron Campaign Guide (ECG), there's a level 1 adventure in the back that, aside from being somewhat hard to get started, is freaking pimp. Takes place in Sharn, though, but....the climactic fight has the PCs on a skycoach being chased by goblins on hovering disc-things. Anyways. To me, the elements of Eberron are the high-magic stuff you've mentioned, but also the "punk" elements; noir drama, pulp action, shades of grey, so on and so forth. So, can you give us any more information to work with? Party composition, what themes you might want to investigate, whatever? Oh, also, read the ECG. There's plenty of plot hooks there.
#3 Style75 Jan 23, 2011 11:21:42	You need a quick setup with a spectacular backdrop followed by a short but intense encounter. Both the setup and the encounter need to show off the main features of the Eberron world: noble houses, warforged, intrigue, high tech magic. For example, I started a campaign with the PC's as a group of mercenaries hired by one of the noble houses to guard the construction of a new rail line in the countryside. The PC's could see a mighty city in the distance. The rail line was attacked by a band of rebel warforged who were abandoned after the last war. After the battle the PC's discovered that the warforged were hired by a rival house. The PC's spot an agent of the house and take off in hot pursuit by leaping aboard the agents skycoach. I then ran the "Fight in the Skies" encounter from p. 280 of the ECG, but having them race through the mountains and replacing the goblins with other agents. Overall, it worked well. I think the key is in the description of the environment. You have to draw attention to the little details that make it stand out from Forgotten Realms and Points of Light.
#4 naturax Jan 23, 2011 22:17:16	Also take a look at the ECS written for 3.5 that has an excellent intro adventure in the back of the book. I agree that it's really important that your first adventure set the tone of Eberron by introducing yourself and your players to all the things that, at least in your mind, make Eberron different than other settings you've used.