Eberron Question

[Retreater]

I never really paid attention to Eberron when it was first released. But I've heard a lot of people singing its praises in the favorite campaign setting thread here. So I'm giving it some consideration as a campaign setting I might use in the future.

I read that it has a 1920s (after WWI) flavor that is highly influenced by pulp fiction. Do you think that I could run a Lovecraft-inspired campaign there, essentially replacing planes for airships, trains for lightning rails, etc? In particular, I'm thinking about converting the mega adventure "The Masks of Nyarlothep."

Retreater

 

[malraux]

I never really paid attention to Eberron when it was first released. But I've heard a lot of people singing its praises in the favorite campaign setting thread here. So I'm giving it some consideration as a campaign setting I might use in the future.

I read that it has a 1920s (after WWI) flavor that is highly influenced by pulp fiction. Do you think that I could run a Lovecraft-inspired campaign there, essentially replacing planes for airships, trains for lightning rails, etc? In particular, I'm thinking about converting the mega adventure "The Masks of Nyarlothep."

Retreater

I'd imagine it would work reasonably well, aside from the minor problems you'll always have integrating DnD with Cthulhu. But the Dragon Below often influences crazed ideas in his followers.

 

[jimmifett]

It is very pulpy, and despite ECG appearences, it is actually VERY empty once you get out of the cities, even with the corrected continent size (3.x had scale issues), so it would fit the 20s style environment easily. Bustling city, remote countryside where things man was not meant to know are buried and occaisionally stumbled upon.

 

[Rykion]

Eberron is perfect for Lovecraft themed campaigning. The world itself has a noir style 20's feel. Lovecraftian style monsters can come from the far realm like other D&D settings, but Eberron has a few other candidates for Lovecrat style adventures as well. Some world spoilers ahead.

The continent of Xen'drik is covered with the ruins of an ancient society of giants now overgrown by jungle. Many groups send in expeditions to loot the magical wealth found in the ruins. This would be perfect for an "At the Mountains of Madness" style horror expedition campaign.

Eberron has Dal Quor the region of dreams. The Quori are a nightmarish race that can possess willing people, and are building monoliths that are bringing Dal Quor closer to the waking world. Lots of Lovecraft possibilities there.

The Lords of Dust ruled the world during the Age of Demons. There are 30 Demon overlords that were bound after being defeated in ancient times. Many overlords have human/demon cults trying to free them. Another perfect way to integrate Lovecraft into Eberron.

I don't know "the Masks of Nyarlathotep" specifically, but I can't imagine it being that hard to work into Eberron.

 

[Siberys]

Then, of course, there's the Daelkyr. I always thought of them as being literally Lovecraftian, in the tentacles-and-cosmic-horror sense.

But, yes. A few minor conversions in the adventure, and 20s pulp-horror will work perfectly. And even then, it'll mostly be fluff and window-dressing to make it feel 'Eberrony'.

EDIT: I forgot to mention; Quori are cool. Rykion's description is spot-on. They make GREAT villains.

 

[Henry]

I think it would work pretty well; the sanity checks might present a problem, but that simple percentile system technically could bolt onto darned near any system.

I will say your biggest conversion problem is this: CoC characters are inherently weaker ("normally" weak) vs. the threats they face. You have to decide: are the characters going to be relatively weak vs. their threats, and force creative ways of defeating them, or will you allow it to be feasible to do the traditional D&D thing, and be able to put the evil to the sword? That will inform over 50% of your conversion efforts.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I read that it has a 1920s (after WWI) flavor that is highly influenced by pulp fiction. Do you think that I could run a Lovecraft-inspired campaign there, essentially replacing planes for airships, trains for lightning rails, etc? In particular, I'm thinking about converting the mega adventure "The Masks of Nyarlothep."

Honestly, you couldn't have picked a better fantasy setting for that campaign. Just think about the points that Rykion and Henry raised and your campaign should write itself.

Good luck.