D&D 5E Eberron Campaign thread

[Rabbitbait]

Hi everyone, with the release (not so long ago) of Eberron: Rising From the Last War, I will be starting a new campaign in a couple of weeks. I thought I'd start a thread where everyone is welcome to post about their Eberron campaigns. Not only will this give you an interested audience (even if it's just me), I hope to use this thread as a repository of good ideas I can steal for my campaign.

So feel free to post here.

I have been doing quite a bit of work on the background for this campaign as I have decided to keep it pretty loose and character driven. As such, I've pushed the players to give a good amount of background details of their characters and there is a lot that the other characters won't know about them. I have a couple of arcs that have come from the players, but I will wait to see where the game goes before I really think about driving it in any particular direction.

I asked the players what campaign style they wanted to play and they were actually quite keen to work for a criminal organisation. I wasn't expecting that. So I am starting with a Boromar clan campaign. I will start with the adventure in the Eberron sourcebook with some small adjustments and see how the playstyle works out before deciding the next bits.

I'm a wee bit nervous as it is a long time since I have used anything other than completely pre-written campaigns (such as Tomb of Annihilation) and I certainly don't have the amount of time I used to for design. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Rabbitbait]

Here are the PCs:

Spoiler

Ashana Vishara
A Kalashtar Cleric from Adar, in Sarlona

Ashana is about good choices and she influences the people around her towards good. Why is she in Sharn? She has travelled a long way to be here and spends a lot of time in the Shrine of Il-Yannah where she lives, but she also spends a lot of time in Lower Dura which is filled with scum and criminals.

Played by Micheal

Cronk
A Bugbear Barbarian from Rhukaan Draal in Darguun

Cronk, the hero of many battles in Darguun. Stifling rebellion and serving the king. Seventh son of Muntar, the warrior that stood alongside the new King, Lhesh Haruuc, as goblin-kind took back their historic lands from the human invaders. Now he is in Sharn, offering his services to House Tharashk. Why would such a hero take such a step? Why hasn't he taken on any jobs from house Tharashk? Why does he spend so much time in the cogs? Something is going on here.

Played by Simon

Dresk Kruotur
A Half-Orc Fighter from Sharn

Dresk has changed. Before the war he was a violent thug, working for the Draask. Something changed him in the war. Was it something horrific he saw, or was it the influence of the Kalashtar Cleric who served with him. Since he returned Dresk has not wanted to get violent any more. He's still not on the right side of the law though. In between stints of his honest job as security at The Anvil, he does small jobs for Boromar clan. He's better than he was and is trying to lead a more wholesome life. However the Draask don't like people turning away from them. There will be a day of reckoning.

Played by Ben

Dusty
A Wildhunt Shifter Ranger from the Howling Peaks in Breeland

Why would Dusty have come to Sharn? He is a creature of the open spaces and the wind on your face. And why is he so desperate to find money? He lurks around Northedge in a way that makes even the worst of thugs avoid him.

Played by Spud

Topsy Turvey
A Gnome Artificer from Sharn

A Cannith certified tinker, Topsy owns a small workshop in Clifftop and is well regarded for the quality of his goods. He is the splitting image of his father who owns a workshop in Tradefair and they spend a lot of time together. Topsy is a well regarded member of society, although it has been commented that he does seem to be a bit friendly with some people who might be considered as being 'from the lower city'.

Played by Shun

 

[Rabbitbait]

Adventure Preamble:

Spoiler

Dresk is working security at the Anvil tavern early one day when his boss Peck approaches him.

"Hey, Dresk", says Peck, "How'd you like to get a day off and earn some extra money. I owe a guy a favour and he's asked me if I can find a crew for a discreet job. He says that it's nothing dodgy and that it will be well rewarded. Just meet with Delgo d'Gallanda at the 'Queen of the Damned' gambling den in the Firelight District later tonight and he'll fill you in on the details. He's heard of you and would like to see what you are capable of. I wouldn't ask, but I owe this guy some big favours and it'd mean a lot to me if you took the job on.

Dresk wants to help and likes the sound of earning some extra money so he starts looking for a crew.
He first climbs up the tower to meet with his old friend Ashana to talk about the job with her. She is unsure that it sounds legitimate, but agrees to come, even if it is just to be his conscience about whether to take the job on.

They then head over to House Tharashk, contacting Dresk's old friend Gaard.

Cronk is meeting with Gaard at the time and with a small push from Gaard, Cronk agrees to be more muscle for the mission.

They then head to Dresk's friend friend Topsy, who wants to know more about what the mission is so agrees to accompany him. He brings along a compatriot, Dusty who is very keen to find out more about easy money.

It's taken most of the day for Dresk to assemble a crew, and far, far above you through the towers you see the sky darkening. You make your way to the 'Queen of the Damned". It takes some time to get there, crossing through Dura, the Central Plateau and the Menthis Plateau to get there, but before too long you find yourself arriving at the venue, with many people gathered around the venue drinking and talking loudly. The smell of dreamlilly eminates strongly from the venue.

 

[Bitbrain]

Here is one thing from my eberron campaigns. Don’t know if you’ll want to use it or not.

THE LORD OF BLADES

Spoiler

a hive mind AI that infects Warforged like a virus. So long as there is at least one assimilated Warforged in existence, “he” cannot be killed.

Think Skynet meets Brainiac from the Bruce Timm Superman animated series, and you’ll be pretty close to how I present him to my PCs. My players are absolutely convinced that he is the biggest threat to civilization on Khorvaire...

 

[Beleriphon]

Here is one thing from my eberron campaigns. Don’t know if you’ll want to use it or not.

THE LORD OF BLADES

Spoiler

a hive mind AI that infects Warforged like a virus. So long as there is at least one assimilated Warforged in existence, “he” cannot be killed.

Think Skynet meets Brainiac from the Bruce Timm Superman animated series, and you’ll be pretty close to how I present him to my PCs. My players are absolutely convinced that he is the biggest threat to civilization on Khorvaire...

So he's Ultron?

 

[MarkB]

In my campaign, the Lord of Blades is just a singular individual - but each of the his top lieutenants (the ones named after types of blade) is equipped with a specialised docent, whose function is to allow the Lord of Blades to temporarily transfer his consciousness into them, possessing their body and speaking through them. Even when not exerting direct control, he can still listen in through the docent and send simple messages.

It essentially allows him to personally command or communicate with any higher-level cell of warforged agents throughout the continent without ever needing to personally leave the Mournland.

 

[Bitbrain]

So he's Ultron?

If you are referring to the live-action MCU films, then no. He’s like the Mind Flayer from Stranger Things in technological form, not some evolution/extinction event obsessed robot with a “Pinocchio Complex”.

 

[Raunalyn]

I'd do him like the Dread Pirate Roberts.

"The Lord of Blades had grown so rich, he wanted to retire. He took me to his cabin and he told me his secret. 'I am not the Lord of Blades' he said. 'My name is Ryan; I inherited the title from the previous Lord of Blades, just as you will inherit it from me. The man I inherited it from is not the real Lord of Blades either. His name was Cummerbund. The real Lord of Blades has been retired 15 years and living like a king in Stormreach.'

 

[Beleriphon]

If you are referring to the live-action MCU films, then no. He’s like the Mind Flayer from Stranger Things in technological form, not some evolution/extinction event obsessed robot with a “Pinocchio Complex”.

No, very specifically the comic book version.

 

[Bitbrain]

No, very specifically the comic book version.

In that case, maybe? I’m a DC fan, so I haven’t read too much of the Marvel stuff.