Eberron: My players think they can rule the known world

[Sidekick]

Well personally the fame thing shouldn't be that easy.

The party I DM at the moment currently are at 4th level and are on their way to 5th (probably be 5th when they do Whispers of the Vampire's blade). Thier main aim so far seems to be "get loot and become famous". However they have turned donw a property (for IC reasons though), they don't communicate with their friend who is a marked Cannith heir BARD (NPC from 1st adventure) and a post-grad student at Morgrave.

Hell they don't even have a group name. They have made no attempt to gain fame, but they are getting to a level now where people should be coming to them....

As much as it can sometimes be the Dms fault for PCs not having fame, at the same time its the groups fault as well. They need to engage in PR - get some invites to parties, meet nobles and royalty/civil servants. Have a Bard follow them around to pen about their exploits - get the Chonicle or Ledger to write a story about their exploits etc.

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As an aside - any ideas as to how I can start to work in some adventures that will boost their renown.

 

[lukelightning]

Between the Blood of Vol... Eberron does not seem that safe, even for 10th level characters.

What are you, some sort of bigot? The Blood of Vol is a religion of peace! It is the one true way to enable us mortals to escape the curse of death bestowed upon us by the so-called "gods." Do you fear eternal life, or are you brave enough to take up your place as an immortal? Again, the Blood of Vol is a peaceful religion of the people, and if you continue to disagree I'll have to smite thee mightily!

Anyhoo, what's to say the party can't make allegiences with some of these "enemy organizations."

 

[ssampier]

With the introduction of the mob template from the DMG II, even 20th-level PCs need to exercise caution around an army of thousands. This is as it should be.

I missed this on the first read through. It sounds like I definately need this book.

*adds to wish list*

 

[takasi]

The biggest problem with "ruling the known world" is that most players are only trying to gain political power so they can break the rules. Instead of going on an adventure they'd rather build up an army to do their work.

If a PC says "Hey I'm going to take over the world, I'm the highest level PC!" my reply would be "What's your leadership score?" Then I'd throw a few mobs after them to keep their egos in check. It's pretty easy to build a few CR 10 peasant mobs for an embarrassing TPK.

 

[Trickstergod]

Four 10th level PC's, on their lonesome, aren't going to take over Eberron.

Four 10th levels PC's, on their lonesome, could conceivably topple every major government on Khorvaire.

By that point, they're big enough, and possibly mobile enough, to slaughter the leaders of many nations. Conceivably within the span of a day, if they plan enough and stock up on a few key scrolls (teleport and cloud kill come most prominently to mind).

Of course there's all these major groups out there that could leap up to oppose them; the Dreaming Dark, the Lords of Dust, etc. But they'd likely be too late to stop the PC's from killing off a few kings and queens and, here's the important part - they'd each wind up tearing out each others throats as all their carefully laid plans came crashing down and required them to play their hands now.

Part of the reason those big groups don't just stomp all over the world is the fact that all it would do is create a bloodbath to little purpose.

10th level, in Eberron, should be seen as a big deal. It's probably not enough to rule the world, but it's almost definitely enough to destroy it, if only by setting off a chain of events. The 10th level group murders King X. Group Y, that was manipulating King X and slowly consolidating power, steps in to intervene with someone powerful enough to butcher the 10th level group. Group Z, who was looking to make their own play for power, finally discovers a powerful agent from Group Y, and sends in their own agent to take care of him. And things escalate from there.

10th level's big enough to make everyone tip their hand, if they do things right (or wrong, if you'd rather).

And then, if a group that big decides not to do things all on their lonesome, but instead uses their might to gather an army and loyal subjects about them...well, then they very well may be able to take the world, or a continent, or a country. By 10th level, a party's strong enough to say "Follow under my banner, and I'll bring you the world." Especially if they pick up the Leadership feat, to boot.

Heck, they might even rely on all those big groups intervening - and butchering each other in the process.

Having had yet to run an Eberron game, no this conversation hasn't come up. However, some sort of compromise should exist where the DM's desires for the campaign and the player's should mesh. A smart, savvy party of 10th level is a mover and shaker, if they play their cards right and are smart about things.

If they're not, well, the fate of a would-be conquerer's rarely a kindly one, though perhaps it would be of some solace to them knowing that, somewhere, they likely gave someone really powerful a really bad day.