[Eberron] My campaign concept, looking for thoughts and input

[SurfMonkey01]

First off, if you're my players, please go away now. Thank you.

I kicked off an Eberron campaign a few weeks back. So far it's been good fun, and in the two sessions we've played so far we've intertwined a variety of different storylines and interactions. I'm starting now to look at the bigger picture of the campaign, and trying to make all the pieces fit. I could use a little bit of outside input on what I've got, and since most of my gaming friends are in the group, I turn to you folks instead.

The group is stationed in Passage, working for an adventuring company to make their ways in the world. They are hired by an Orien man named Cresius to investigate a possible plot to sabotage the lightning rail. After a brief interlude where they ended up helping a Silver Flame paladin fight off his half-fiend son (he was raped by a fiend many years sooner), they found a shifter woman and her warforged ally sabotaging the lightning rail. The trail led back to Cresius himself, and all three were taken into custody. Their plan involved replacing the conductor stones of several sections of the lightning rail with forgeries that would explode after building up enough charge. The lightning rail was completely shut down until all the counterfeits could be found.
With the rail down, house Lyrandar found an increase in the use of land and sea transports. So much so, in fact, that many suspect they may have been involved in the lightning rail plot to begin with. While moving the shifter woman to a safehouse for further questioning, the group crossed paths with a changeling thief who had stolen a wand from the museum. The wand was from the Mournland, and when used it conjured up two living fireballs which caused immense damage to much of Passage. In the chaos, the shifter woman got away.
A trail of clues I've left is going to lead them in the direction of a woman named Argos, who was the mastermind behind Cresius and the others. His tower is rumored to be on the outskirts of the Mournland. The shifter woman is on her way there now, hoping to take him down and exchange him for clearing her name. Unbeknownst to all, Argos has a powerful scrying orb that has been mutated by the Mournland -- it has a much longer duration and range than a normal orb, plus it can be used to transport creatures and objects.
Although Argos will claim the idea was his, he actually is a pawn of a much larger force -- a dragon, who planned to use the devastation caused by the lightning rail as the first in a series of events that would serve to bring about the beginning portions of the draconic prophecy.

That's as much as I have of the grand overplot right now. Among the smaller plots I know I want to use are a return of the Silver Flame paladin, now hunting the mother of his son; a town at the edge of the Mournland that is trapped in time at the latter moments of the Last War, completely oblivious of the changes to the world that include the loss of their homeland; a murder mystery aboard a lightning rail; a visit to Sharn that embroils them in a plot to destroy the massive metropolis.

So, whathca think?

 

[The Sentry]

Your ideas are really good, but they fail to take into consideration the fact that, perhaps, the PCs will not follow the shifter back to the Mournlands or that they might catch up to her before she reaches her goal (they could secure dragonhawk mounts or magebred steeds).

If you are confident your players will latch on to your plot hook, then the adventure idea is solid. Wether or not it is succesful though also depends on what kind of encounters the characters face. In an area like the Mournlands, they need to be climactic and bizarre (Argos could summon an earth elemental carved from the Glass Plateau, making it deal both slashing and bludgeoning damage, you could add templates to existing creatures, the Horrid template from the ECS, to represent the weird mutated creatures of the Mournlands, they could cross paths with risen soldiers from any of the five nations, etc.).

All and all it seems you have a great adventure in front of you (just make sure the dragon doesn't pop up at the end of it ... have subtle signs that point to draconic involvement instead, a carved dragon statue in Argos' fortress, Argos' dragonscale cloak, etc.).

 

[megamania]

I run a Eberron campaign also that involves a Dragon. However, with my dragon, he is neutral. He is trying to time the arrival of PCs and others so he both helps and hinders the PCs and NPCs unknown to any of them.

As said by Sentry -give subtle hints of the true nature of the main antagonists. Don't reveal anything but it builds suspence and anticipation this way.

I have many times considered a plot involving the rails and doing something similiar to what you are. Its great to see someone doing it. Do you have a storyhour of it running? Mine is the Creation Schema.

Keep it up and consider what is next.

 

[SurfMonkey01]

Well, they took the bait. They're on their way to the Mournland to find Argos, and they have the shifter woman in tow. They ran into her as they set out, and it was decided it was easiest to watch her if she was with them. So now they're gonna pass through Thrane and head towards the Mournland. Heh-heh... now I get to put some of your suggestions to use. If you have any more, please, share

 

[SurfMonkey01]

Alright, here's my rough plans for this coming mega-session (we normally only get maybe 4 hours, this weekend we're gonna have more like 8). I like what I have so far, but it feels like there's something missing... I dunno...

the party has picked up the shifter woman, Delilah, who wishes to find the wizard Argos and make him pay for what he has done. They can't use the lightning rail, because as part of the plans apparently masterminded by Argos, conductor stones at random points along the rail have been replaced with forgeries that will explode after gathering enough charge. The party is riding on horseback from Passage to Lathleer, where they will resupply. I plan on them running into Gilad, a Silver Flame paladin they have a history with, there. He will arrange for them to join him on an airship that is heading to Flamekeep. At Flamekeep, Gilad will learn that the succubus who raped him and bore his half-fiend son (a son which Gilad and the party killed in a previous adventure) has been seen near the edges of the Mournland. Knowing that the party seeks Argos, who is rumored to also live at the Mournland's edge, Gilad asks their help.

The quest will lead them to a town which resides under unusual circumstances. During the final days of the Last War, the townspeople were approached by Argos and a deal was forged. In exchange for access to the Manifest Zone below the town, the wizard would preserve the town and its people from any coming horrors. Using the succubus to power the spell, Argos put a barrier around the town as the Mourning occurred. The townsfolk were safe, but they were now forever trapped in another time -- the magic barrier kept them alive, but it also kept them frozen in the days before the Mourning. Argos used the magics of the Manifest Zone to create his mock conductor stones, and constructed himself a new tower near the town. This tower became his home, and is the one which the party now seeks...

***edited to add *** Whoops... I forgot to mention the Orien part. When the rail plot was first discovered, the PCs captured Delilah and the warforged she was working with, and were instrumental in the capture of the House Orien traitor who had been involved. The PCs kept Delilah in their custody so they had some sort of leverage with the House. The House was all friendly and allowed them to participate in interrogations and whatnot, hoping that in the end Delilah would be turned over to them. Then a living fireball got loose in town (which the PCs got blamed for, don't ask) and Delilah got away, which got any PCs hanging out at House Orien kicked out and the entire party added to their "crap list." By now Cresius and the warforged have both been silenced, and now that you mention it, I guess the House would be looking for the gang now -- especially since they've got Delilah the side-switching shifter with them now... *** end edit ***

Like I said, I can't help but feel like it's missing something. Anyone got any ideas what that may be?

 

[Psychotic Jim]

I'm a little bit confused here, so I'll ask a few questions. First, where did Delilah come from? Was she the thief with the fireball wand? Second, why did the succubuss let Argos sacrifice her to uphold deal he made?

Also, about the deal, how long ago was it? How old would that make the paladin and his half-fiend son if the succubuss had her way with him before she was sacrificed?
How exactly is the town froze in time? Is it like Groudhog Day, the same exact events repeating over and over? Or is the town on a different timeline from the outside in a place where life exists in a permanent state where the war never occurred?

How about the town. How does it deal with nobody being able to leave and no trade coming in. How do the people survive without trade? Do they produce enough material to live on their own? Were there any other creatures drawn to the Manifest Zone to compete with Argos? What can the players do about this situation?

It sounds like you have got a great plot going. How do you plan on getting the PCs involved and foreshadowing the real truth? What backup plan do you have if they end up prematurely beaint Argoes and/or discovering the draon?

 

[SurfMonkey01]

First, where did Delilah come from? Was she the thief with the fireball wand?

She's the shifter woman from the lightning rail plot -- I accidentally typed changeling instead of shifter. It's been fixed.

Second, why did the succubuss let Argos sacrifice her to uphold deal he made?

I never said she LET him. Offer a deal involving great power, and then double-cross them at your earliest convenience, that's what my evil wizards always say...

Also, about the deal, how long ago was it? How old would that make the paladin and his half-fiend son if the succubuss had her way with him before she was sacrificed?
How exactly is the town froze in time? Is it like Groudhog Day, the same exact events repeating over and over? Or is the town on a different timeline from the outside in a place where life exists in a permanent state where the war never occurred?

The deal was mere years ago, at the end of the Last War. The paladin is middle-aged, and his son was about 20-ish. No, the town isn't like groundhog day. For them, life goes on.

How about the town. How does it deal with nobody being able to leave and no trade coming in. How do the people survive without trade? Do they produce enough material to live on their own? Were there any other creatures drawn to the Manifest Zone to compete with Argos? What can the players do about this situation?

They do get trade. People come and go all the time. Using the power of the manifest zone to enhance a psionic item, everyone who leaves is left the impression that it's just another post-Mourning frontier town. As for the townsfolk, well, not getting to leave is the price they pay for being healthy, happy, and prosperous...

As for what will happen if the PCs do something I don't expect or kill Argos too soon, well, I expect them to do just that. That's why the dragon behind all of this didn't put all of his eggs in one basket... after all, Khorvaire is a big place, and the draconic prophecy does call for a confluence of events PLURAL...