DMs: how do your parties move up in the world?

[Corsair]

I originally posted this on the WotC Eberron forums, but I figured I would ask the same question here.

In Eberron, the PCs are expected to become movers and shakers (or at least work with/for the movers and shakers) at fairly low levels in their respective careers. However I was wondering how other Eberron DMs (or DMs in general) managed things to get the players to that position?

I have one idea which will move my players into positions of more responsibility, but I want to here how other Eberron DMs have gotten their players involved in the goings-on of Eberron.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

Well, it's not Eberron specific, but in my case, it comes from rescuing things for a minor noble. Then, when some other (more important) noble is all "Yo yo, I got this problem. I need me some stuff taken care of all circumspectlike."
Then the minor noble hands him the party's card and says "These guys did it good for me last time."

Because everyone likes the guys who get the job done well, and the fires are typically happening to people you don't like anyway.

 

[nopantsyet]

PC actions will not guarantee them status of any kind. They've got to forge relationships with powerful and influential people. The accomplishments of the PCs are a prerequisite to garner the attention and interest of such individuals (and groups), but that's only the first step. Gaining their trust and respect requires something more. Typically that will involve roleplaying and some task or quest to prove themselves.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Spelljammer: The PCs never really gained a lot of notoriety, and after they crossed the elves a few times (botched attempt to steal an Armada... ), they liked it just fine. They hung around various Wildspaces doing odd jobs and having adventures that didn't get them to well known, and fled via Flow if their names got out.

Dwarven Age: The PCs took matters into their own hands and decided to side, disastrously, with a rebel faction, which they eventually came to lead. The faction got wiped out (GM no likee the commies ) but, Conan-like, they survived. They got over their foolish anarchism and turned to the path of feudal righteousness, and established themselves as local lords in the human/orc kingdom by forming a grass-roots army that crushed a dwarven imperial detachment. Of course, also Conan-like, they didn't let the burdens of lordship stop them from having adventures; they never achieved more position and power than their local fiefs, however.

Ivalice: The PCs are royal secret police reporting to the head of that organization. They've met the king and work directly for him at times (due to in-campaign events, not power level), and they've faced some important enemies. They aren't generally known, however, and their beneath the radar of most of their enemies.

 

[shilsen]

In my recently-started Eberron campaign, the PCs have already had their names show up in the Korranberg Chronicle once and are about to have it happen again, due to thwarting an attack on the lightning rail which was intended to kill an Aundairan diplomat. They've also (sometimes inadvertently) brought themselves to the attention of Houses Cannith, Medani and Phiarlan, the Order of the Emerald Claw and (very soon) the Lord of Blades. They also participated in a job for House Medani which had implications for Brelish national security.

In short, there are a whole lot of movers and shakers who are, or have become, aware of their existence. The PCs will have opportunities to further develop their relations with many of these figures and to become well-known as being opposed to some of them. That will simultaneously help them move up in the world (financially, socially, politically) and make them more important targets.

Interestingly, the PCs are really worried about the notoriety and trying to avoid it as much as possible. I guess they've already figured out that the double-edged sword of fame is usually delivered blade first

 

[Hand of Evil]

It is scope that changes as levels go up, the villians they face are greater in their influence than those that the party faced at lower levels, what was just effecting a village, is now effecting a country. This is where Charisma and skills like Diplomacy (also WIL AND INT) come into play, the higher the better because the tellers of tells and the people in power have to like you, if not you maybe heard of but you are not really a mover and shaker, just a tool and some one else is getting the credit.

Say the party has killed a few monsters and help a number of people, you have bards and reporters who come by after the fact and start building their songs and stories and what do they hear about, the Paladin, the good looking, kind, healing person, not anyone else as they take the role of sidekicks. Well after a few adventures with much the same results, the church decides to reward the Paladin but find out about the team, not a problem until the party's leader steps forward to talk with them (ugly and crass). What happens is up to you but the party may not go anywhere and what is being done by the party is now being credited to the church or the king, the party becomes 'units operating under commands of...'.

 

[Fenes]

In my weekly campaign one character joined a church in Mulhorand, and rose through the ranks there, now being the right-hand woman for the head priestess. With the chruches in Mulhorand being the government, that means the party has significant clout. During adventures, enemies of the state got hit often, which added to the reputation of the group, and they also achieved diplomatic successes.

 

[kmdietri]

Im my campaign's it's usually about areas of influence, on low levels their noteriety can raise in a fairly small area, but as they travel and get more powerfull they can become more well known all over in many different places... even gaining mythical status in their early stomping grounds if they don't return much but people continue to hear of their exploits.