So the Aurum are a group of wealthy individuals wanting to overthrow the 5 nations (and possibly the Dragonmarked Houses). Now the libertarian in me doesn't really like the idea of being controlled by prophecy, nor the idea that the Dragonmarked Houses have a government supported monopoly over particular areas of industry. So how would the Aurum go as protagonists? Perhaps they are interested in breaking down the existing order and making the financial rewards of industry more accessible regardless of Dragonmarks?
Perhaps there are still a lot of opportunistic criminals in their ranks. But is there anything to say that their goals are actually EVIL? Or could it just be a matter of perspective? Perhaps my players will be forced to choose between siding with the Dragonmarked Houses or rebelling against them and siding with the Aurum?
Also, further I was thinking that perhaps both the Twelve and the Aurum could be pawns of more sinister organisations. Perhaps the Twelve (and hence the Dragonmarked Houses) are under the influence of the Chamber who seek the ensure the continued monopoly of the Houses (since the Dragonmarks are so closely linked with the prophecy it's important to ensure their continued strength). Meanwhile perhaps the Lords of Dust are actually controlling the Aurum. You see the prophecy in my Eberron may actually speak of the Dragonmarked Houses being the only way the Overlords can be defeated should they ever break free again, so the Lords of Dust have an interest in undermining the Twelve as it directly helps them in thwarting the prophecy.
The good thing is the campaign would give the players choices to make between siding with the Twelve or the Aurum, but ultimately the players will still need to combat the Lords of Dust, with the help of the Dragonmarked Houses and Chamber, but in helping the Aurum they may have actually made things harder for themselves. In helping the Twelve, however, they may be constantly undermined in the final battle.
Does that sound like a good overview? It ties a lot of the major world threats in together nicely. I'm just wondering if perhaps I'm painting too rosy a picture of the Aurum. Or are there any other plot holes I'm creating?
Greed isn't necessarily evil, though is it? Perhaps they are just capitalist and believe in rational self-interest? Wealth through any means does sound kind of evil, though :p Especially if it involves murder and theft.
It seems like I might be better off creating my own organisation to oppose the monopoly of the Twelve. Despite the Dragonmarked Houses generally being promoted as good, reading about the Twelve they don't strike me as overly "benevolent" an organisation. They are just interested in preserving their own power with the way they try and eliminate Abberant Dragonmarks, etc. They're just a corrupt cartel.
Despite the Dragonmarked Houses generally being promoted as good, reading about the Twelve they don't strike me as overly "benevolent" an organisation. They are just interested in preserving their own power with the way they try and eliminate Abberant Dragonmarks, etc. They're just a corrupt cartel.
Welcome to Eberron, where sometimes bad guys do have a point and even the "good guys" aren't entirely innocent.
Don't forget the magic DM wand. You could just change what The Aurum is. I mean you could always say their plutocratic reputation is just a smear campaign by The Twelve. If you want to use it, make it work. You are effectively god.
True, I could... and probably will. But I still like my players to feel like my world could actually exist alongside the canon that already exists.
However their real goal is to overthrow the rigid caste system of the Celestial order, which puts samurai at the top and everyone else as basically their property. To a typical PC, that's not just evil, but blasphemy as well, since the caste system is derived from the 7 great clans' direct descent from the Gods. However, from the point of view of someone not so privileged - a merchant, a farmer or an eta (untouchable) their goal might seem liberating and noble.
It's all a point of view. I could definitely see the idea that the Aurum feel they are doing what they must for a higher purpose - to reshape the political and societal landscape of Khorvaire. Very few people in the real world are consciously evil for evil's sake, no matter how horrendous their actions - they always justify them to themselves. To me that's a very Eberronian feel, and is one of the things that distinguishes it from settings like Greyhawk or the Realms.
That's my point. Is there any reason why the Aurum have to be pure evil instead of being a shade of grey?
They aren't pure evil. Each individual member has different goals and will go to different lengths to accomplish them. Some truly believe they arein the right, others are just greedy. Some want to supplant the nobility for entirely selfish reasons and others want to do so for more benevolent and idealistic reasons.
The Aurum is very often called out not only as an antagonist, but also as a potential patron and ally to the PCs.
They're gray. Perhaps the darker shade of gray at times, but they're nothing like the Emerald Claw, Lords of Dust, or Cardinal Krozen.
As such, there is probably somewhere an Aurum member likely to help your PCs, while there is another that will harm them.
Other Aurum thread
Rekko
In eberron, even a 'good' religious order, there are several corrupted 'evil' clerics, right? Then why the order is called 'good'?
Then, maybe the same also implies to any so-called 'evil' organization, there are also several 'corrupted' 'good' member, right? Then why the organization is called 'evil'? :D
Everytime I play Eberron, I always tempted to eliminate alignment there :P
Just a thought and opinion though...
Of course, like the Blood of Vol, the lower circles don't know the goals of the Platinum Circle. They act entirely out of greed and without the careful planning of the upper circles, possible working against some of their more cunning plans. Several members of the Platinum Circle also have other agendas. At least one member of the Trust is in the Circle, and the Dreaming Dark has also infiltrated the Platinum Circle. The dragons of the Chamber also could easily have amassed enough wealth to be invited into the Platinum Circle.