Help me polarize my Eberron characters.

[Percivellian]

So, the big moment has finally arrived: Our group is starting our first real Eberron campaign. The honour of bringing this setting to life has fallen to me (since our usual DM is just aching to play this time around). I am both: A) Thrilled, and B)Excited.

Here's where I would like to enlist your help:

What are some of the characteristic Eberron issues that players should think about when making their characters? Of course, there's the considerations of "What you were doing during the last war" and "How do you feel about warforged?", etcetera, but I'd like to dig a little deeper. It looks like there's a ton of really interesting organizations and world circumstances that would influence the thoughts and behaviors of everyday people. I am curious as to your articulations of what those could be for a group of first level adventurers.

Thanks for your time,

Percy

 

[Alceste]

So, the big moment has finally arrived: Our group is starting our first real Eberron campaign. The honour of bringing this setting to life has fallen to me (since our usual DM is just aching to play this time around). I am both: A) Thrilled, and B)Excited.

Here's where I would like to enlist your help:

What are some of the characteristic Eberron issues that players should think about when making their characters? Of course, there's the considerations of "What you were doing during the last war" and "How do you feel about warforged?", etcetera, but I'd like to dig a little deeper. It looks like there's a ton of really interesting organizations and world circumstances that would influence the thoughts and behaviors of everyday people. I am curious as to your articulations of what those could be for a group of first level adventurers.

Thanks for your time,

Percy

A good place to start is faiths of Eberron. A young silver flame follower might ask about the status of warforged in Thrane as indebited servators. He would also need to think about the purifiers and their lycanthropic jhilad as well as some "forced" conversions by the same group. How does he go about restoring his church to where he thinks it should be.

Sharn based characters must look at the poverty of goblins down below. Could reducing their poverty help turn them away from Xoriat/Dragon below cults? This is what I could think of atm. There are a ton of other important decisions for characters to make. For in Eberron, the characters will rise to be the stars of the world.

 

[Aeric]

The atmosphere of Eberron seems to be one of freedom and opportunity. The Last War is over (for now), and suddenly it is safe to travel between countries again. Businessmen are free to establish contacts and make deals with citizens of "enemy" countries without worrying about being branded a traitor. And with the war being over, suddenly there is a large population of the Five Nations with nothing to do - all the soldiers coming home from the war. Restlessness can lead to good things (invention, exploration, new businesses) and it can lead to bad things (crime, banditry, etc.).

On the other hand, the Five Nations seem to realize that the peace probably won't last, and so there is a great deal of espionage going on. Add to that the machinations of the Dragonmarked Houses and certain organizations such as the Aurum or the Emerald Claw, and it would be easy for the PCs to get sucked into one plot or the other without even realizing it.

It all depends on where you want the focus of your game to be, really.

 

[Percivellian]

Those notes on the political and economic feel and issues are very helpful (thank you). I think I have a few more ideas for establishing the character of the environment.

Hopefully a clearer focus will come into view once we go through a group brainstorming/character creation process tomorrow night. Once players settle down on character ideas, how they should position themselves should develop, I was just curious as to what sorts of things they could even possibly have positions on. So far, out of six players, I think we have (loosely) a kalashtar of unknown class (probably psion or psychic warrior), a rogue of unknown race, and one who will be taking vampire spawn levels (from Libris Mortis).

I think I will definitely play into the "borders and alliances are now more open, for better and worse" angle, though.

 

[Percivellian]

(bump to increase my exposure to the ENworld idea mill)

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

Simple but essential: The war's over, officialy, but how does your character feel about it? Is the war over for them? Many horrendous things were done in the War, was your character affected by one of them? Do you hold a grudge? Against who, and to what degree? Could make for some interesting role playing, especialy if your 'face man' (ie: Diplomat) were to come face-to-face with someone from an organisation/country that he still had lingering ill feelings towards.

This, of course, is all affected by how long after the Last War you decide to set the start of the Campaign. How long have people had to forget and forgive?

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Eberron has so many options.. its hard to know where to start

So much depends on your group and game style, but these basics should give you a good start.

Each character should have the answer to these questions:
- What did you do in the war?
- What faith do you follow?
- Which House are you aligned with?
- Which Nation are you aligned with?
- Which Nation is the evil guys?
- Why are you adventuring?


Based off these you should be able to pull a couple threads out to engage the characters into the world.
Of course, these are pretty generic and could be used for virtually any game

 

[Solarious]

It really depends on what villians you plan on unleashing upon poor, unsuspecting Khorvaire: the importance of the interplay between the 'Five' Nations and the Dragonmarked Houses might be diminished if you plan on having the Gatekeeper seals crack and Xoriat pours into Eberron for good old fashioned Cthulhu-type ickiness.

 

[megamania]

Last war is important along with warforged rights but also think about the "new" countries and Mournlands. If you have players involved in government issues (spys) think about Dark Lanterns, Eyes of Aundair and Trust. With a strong religious background, what of Vol and the Emerald Claw. Was the mournlands an accident? Is it Divine Justice? If connected to the Dragonhouses- should one worry about the possible split of the Makers Guild?

One really needs to narrow it down. Do you what the players are doing yet? Classes? Races? P Classes planned (if any?) and what kind of game?