What's Thuranni up to? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

What's Thuranni up to?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
cerulean_kestral
Jul 23, 2012 17:02:39 I've enjoyed reading and gathering ideas from these threads for a long time, and now I'm wondering if some of the great minds out there could give me some feedback and a few diabolical twists to an idea of my own. I'm currently DMing a group with a player who is a member of House Phiarlan, and he's stated that his character's eldest brother defected to House Thuranni after the Shadow Schism. The PC is unsatisfied with his position in Phiarlan, and if his brother approached him about defecting I think he might. Given all this, I've been thinking a lot about what role I want House Thuranni to play in my Eberron, and this what I've come up with so far:

I'm interested in the idea of the Dragon's Path sect within Thuranni and it's desire to reveal or thwart the prophecy, and I've settled on that being the primary driving force within the house. This purpose started with the events surrounding the Paelion extermination. In the process Baron Elar d'Thuranni uncovered not only evidence of Paelion plans to seize control of the Five Nations through a series of assassinations but also evidence that this plot was driven by a piece of the Draconic Prophecy that demonic or draconic agents were seeking to bring to fruition. Elar has now dedicated his life and his house to combating agents trying to manipulate the Prophecy so that mortals can determine their own fate rather than be pawns to demons and dragons.

The black citadel on Stonespur Island is part of this goal. It currently houses one or more people with minor prophetic abilities. While the prophet(s) are aware of the Prophecy they are in a state of delirium. The Thuranni’s have discovered that they can use drugs to induce this delirium to maintain the prophetic state indefinitely. They are experimenting with using telepathy and psionics to further enhance the prophetic visions by linking the prophets with illusionists to illustrate the visions or diviners to incorporate scrying and the use of serpentine mirrors. There are only a few true oracles in the world who remain lucid when they glimpse the Prophecy (such as Sora Teraza), but the Thuranni’s are essentially developing an oracular edritch machine built around their lesser prophet(s). Picture the pre-cogs and the pre-crime division from Minority Report. This is meant to give the Thuranni's an edge in monitoring and interpreting the Prophecy so that they can compete on a more even playing field with forces that have had millenia to study the Prophecy.

Furthermore, Baron Elar d’Thuranni is a member of a secret society within the Twelve who share his interest in unraveling the Prophecy with the same sort of mortals-determining-the-fate-of-mortals goal.

            The heads of the society are:

            • Baron Elar d’Thuranni

            • Doyenne Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis or whoever is heading Tasker's Dream

            • Chervina d’Ghallanda (the mad architect)

So what do you think? Do you have any ideas for other members of the society? I was contemplating a Medani in the mix and maybe one or two others. I think I'd like the group to become a patron for the PC's eventually, sending them to prevent or create key prophetic events that will avert various apocalypses, although they might send Thuranni agents to attack the PC's first to create the Prophesied champions they need to suit their purposes. I've also considered a Watchmen scenario in which it's eventually revealed that they caused the Mourning with the added twist that the PC's still need their help to prevent the release of Bel Shelor. (I also have a PC who is a paladin of the Silver Flame, and this is all in part an effort to tie together the motivation of the paladin and Phiarlan bard.)

Anyhow, what're your thoughts?
#2
Aelth
Jul 24, 2012 4:04:31 This sounds quite interesting-... I always like the idea of the Twelve (Or just House Sivis) meddling with the Prophecy, it provides a nice mortal take on something usually done by immortals/ridiculously long lived beings. Not to mention I like the idea of Lysse being the big mastermind behind the Mourning (I always imagine her acting like a kind old grandmother for some reason).

On that note, I think my own Shadow Schism would have to be involved with the Dreaming Dark and/or Lady Vol. Why? Because I love Eberronian numerology. :P
Think like this, there were at one point 13 moons, at one point 13 nations, at one point 13 Planes connected to Eberron, a total 13 Houses with one destroyed and at one point 13 Dragonmarks. My view is that the Shadow Schism was caused, through the Emerald Claw, by the Dreaming Dark and/or Erandis Vol in order to create a 13th House that would emerge at a very special time in order to cause the reemergence of the Mark of Death among the blood of Thuranni, which is in turn going to cause the moon of Sypheros to crack into two, which is in turn going to cause the Plane of Dal Quor to reconnect to Eberron.

If I felt really evil, I'd even say this was the only way to bring an end to the Mourning and that they might have caused it simply to end it. :P Of course, it might be better to avoid that, if all appearances of the Baker's Dozen were linked so tightly, things would get rather insane quickly. Perhaps some instances of 13 only connect together at certain times in the Prophecy. I.E. When the House of Shadow splits in twain by spilt blood, Death will return from the thirteenth House and Dreams will return to the waking world.
#3
Ogiwan
Jul 24, 2012 9:57:25 /\ That was good.

Hrm. Well, if Thuranni is "good," does that mean that Phiarlan is bad?

....perhaps Phiarlan is being manipulated......
#4
Aelth
Jul 24, 2012 11:53:15
/\ That was good.

Hrm. Well, if Thuranni is "good," does that mean that Phiarlan is bad?

....perhaps Phiarlan is being manipulated......

This is Eberron, everyone is being manipulated by forces beyond mortal ken-... Except when it's the mortals doing the manipulating. :P
#5
mutedfaithe
Jul 24, 2012 16:35:38 Another member of the society could be Jorlanna d'Cannith, head of Cannith West. She is currently being indiscreet with a young member of House Orien who is actually a disguised rakshasa. He could feed her knowledge of the prophecy to get her a place in the council, then manipulate it from within.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 cerulean_kestral Jul 23, 2012 17:02:39	I've enjoyed reading and gathering ideas from these threads for a long time, and now I'm wondering if some of the great minds out there could give me some feedback and a few diabolical twists to an idea of my own. I'm currently DMing a group with a player who is a member of House Phiarlan, and he's stated that his character's eldest brother defected to House Thuranni after the Shadow Schism. The PC is unsatisfied with his position in Phiarlan, and if his brother approached him about defecting I think he might. Given all this, I've been thinking a lot about what role I want House Thuranni to play in my Eberron, and this what I've come up with so far: I'm interested in the idea of the Dragon's Path sect within Thuranni and it's desire to reveal or thwart the prophecy, and I've settled on that being the primary driving force within the house. This purpose started with the events surrounding the Paelion extermination. In the process Baron Elar d'Thuranni uncovered not only evidence of Paelion plans to seize control of the Five Nations through a series of assassinations but also evidence that this plot was driven by a piece of the Draconic Prophecy that demonic or draconic agents were seeking to bring to fruition. Elar has now dedicated his life and his house to combating agents trying to manipulate the Prophecy so that mortals can determine their own fate rather than be pawns to demons and dragons. The black citadel on Stonespur Island is part of this goal. It currently houses one or more people with minor prophetic abilities. While the prophet(s) are aware of the Prophecy they are in a state of delirium. The Thuranni’s have discovered that they can use drugs to induce this delirium to maintain the prophetic state indefinitely. They are experimenting with using telepathy and psionics to further enhance the prophetic visions by linking the prophets with illusionists to illustrate the visions or diviners to incorporate scrying and the use of serpentine mirrors. There are only a few true oracles in the world who remain lucid when they glimpse the Prophecy (such as Sora Teraza), but the Thuranni’s are essentially developing an oracular edritch machine built around their lesser prophet(s). Picture the pre-cogs and the pre-crime division from Minority Report. This is meant to give the Thuranni's an edge in monitoring and interpreting the Prophecy so that they can compete on a more even playing field with forces that have had millenia to study the Prophecy. Furthermore, Baron Elar d’Thuranni is a member of a secret society within the Twelve who share his interest in unraveling the Prophecy with the same sort of mortals-determining-the-fate-of-mortals goal. The heads of the society are: • Baron Elar d’Thuranni • Doyenne Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis or whoever is heading Tasker's Dream • Chervina d’Ghallanda (the mad architect) So what do you think? Do you have any ideas for other members of the society? I was contemplating a Medani in the mix and maybe one or two others. I think I'd like the group to become a patron for the PC's eventually, sending them to prevent or create key prophetic events that will avert various apocalypses, although they might send Thuranni agents to attack the PC's first to create the Prophesied champions they need to suit their purposes. I've also considered a Watchmen scenario in which it's eventually revealed that they caused the Mourning with the added twist that the PC's still need their help to prevent the release of Bel Shelor. (I also have a PC who is a paladin of the Silver Flame, and this is all in part an effort to tie together the motivation of the paladin and Phiarlan bard.) Anyhow, what're your thoughts?
#2 Aelth Jul 24, 2012 4:04:31	This sounds quite interesting-... I always like the idea of the Twelve (Or just House Sivis) meddling with the Prophecy, it provides a nice mortal take on something usually done by immortals/ridiculously long lived beings. Not to mention I like the idea of Lysse being the big mastermind behind the Mourning (I always imagine her acting like a kind old grandmother for some reason). On that note, I think my own Shadow Schism would have to be involved with the Dreaming Dark and/or Lady Vol. Why? Because I love Eberronian numerology. :P Think like this, there were at one point 13 moons, at one point 13 nations, at one point 13 Planes connected to Eberron, a total 13 Houses with one destroyed and at one point 13 Dragonmarks. My view is that the Shadow Schism was caused, through the Emerald Claw, by the Dreaming Dark and/or Erandis Vol in order to create a 13th House that would emerge at a very special time in order to cause the reemergence of the Mark of Death among the blood of Thuranni, which is in turn going to cause the moon of Sypheros to crack into two, which is in turn going to cause the Plane of Dal Quor to reconnect to Eberron. If I felt really evil, I'd even say this was the only way to bring an end to the Mourning and that they might have caused it simply to end it. :P Of course, it might be better to avoid that, if all appearances of the Baker's Dozen were linked so tightly, things would get rather insane quickly. Perhaps some instances of 13 only connect together at certain times in the Prophecy. I.E. When the House of Shadow splits in twain by spilt blood, Death will return from the thirteenth House and Dreams will return to the waking world.
#3 Ogiwan Jul 24, 2012 9:57:25	/\ That was good. Hrm. Well, if Thuranni is "good," does that mean that Phiarlan is bad? ....perhaps Phiarlan is being manipulated......
#4 Aelth Jul 24, 2012 11:53:15	/\ That was good. Hrm. Well, if Thuranni is "good," does that mean that Phiarlan is bad? ....perhaps Phiarlan is being manipulated...... This is Eberron, everyone is being manipulated by forces beyond mortal ken-... Except when it's the mortals doing the manipulating. :P
#5 mutedfaithe Jul 24, 2012 16:35:38	Another member of the society could be Jorlanna d'Cannith, head of Cannith West. She is currently being indiscreet with a young member of House Orien who is actually a disguised rakshasa. He could feed her knowledge of the prophecy to get her a place in the council, then manipulate it from within.