[Eberron]The Lord of Blades is Dead!

[Reynard]

Over the weekend, my PCs destroyed the Lord of Blades, routed his forces and took over his fortress. They very publicly displayed their victory and in days the whole of Khorvaire is going to know what they did and who they are (or, at least, who they want people to think they are).

So, I come looking for suggestions as to what kind of fallout -- political, culturally, magically, whatever -- the very public defeat of the lord of Blades would bring, and how it might change Khorvaire.

(for reference, "my" LoB was a disembodied 'ghost in the machine' who was hunting for a certain artifact that would allow him to re-enter a physical form so he could 'activate' his thousands of warforged 'sleepers' and take over the continent. He did get the artifact, but otherwise the PCs foiled him.)

 

[ForceUser]

In standard Eberron, there would be very little negative fallout regarding this victory, and probably little interest overall. Most warforged will be pleased that he is defeated, since the Lord of Blades was generally seen as a troubling reminder of the divisiveness that they are, by and large, trying to overcome. King Boranel of Breland might wish to speak to the PCs, since he was troubled by the fact the warforged known as the Lord of Blades could have possibly been the former personal retainer and friend that he knew as Bulwark. The Korranberg Chronicle will likely want to interview the PCs, as would a handful of other major newspapers, but by and large the Lord of Blades is just obscure enough to pass under the radar of your average citizen of the five nations.

Merrix d'Cannith might be your best bet--the mad artificer of Sharn is said to have an illegal creation forge hidden away somewhere in the depths of the City of Towers, just like the Lord of Blades was reputed to possess. He would likely pay extremely well for the PCs to give him information leading to his gaining possession of the Lord's forge, since it is the only other one in existence. Of course, he's insane and evil as all get-out, so if your PCs are heroes there could be a moral quandry involved. On the other hand, they could learn that Merrix wants to get his hands on it and try to stop him.

 

[lukelightning]

Don't forget "Bladite" zealots; warforged followers of the LoB who insist that he isn't dead; instead he ascended to godhood and is even more powerful than before!

 

[Klaus]

Yep. One of his followers might just take up the mantle and become the new Lord of Blades.

In fact, this is Keith Baker's personal approach to the LoBster: there isn't ONE LoB, but rather several sharing the identity.

 

[lukelightning]

Perhaps the LoB's mind escaped in the form of a docent component; any warforged who puts it on is at risk of being possessed.

 

[Anti-Sean]

Don't forget "Bladite" zealots; warforged followers of the LoB who insist that he isn't dead; instead he ascended to godhood and is even more powerful than before!

Ooooh. Oh, this I like! I dug the multiple-and/or-decoy-LoB's a-la Dr. Doom that had been mentioned, but this idea is fantastic! One of the LoB's most fanatical followers steps up and takes his place, directing his followers as before. But now, they've added clerics of the martyred/ascended LoB to the ranks of their fanatical devotees! *rubs hand together in glee*

 

[Dark Psion]

Keep in mind that to the general public, "The Lord of Blades" is an Urban Legend, the story you tell your kids to keep them from growing up to be Artificers.

So, many people will respond the same you would if someone told you they had shot a BigFoot or a Grey Alien, Right.....

Others are going to wonder if this legend is true, what of other legends.

And there may be some who had plans that included the LoB; followers, charlatans and of course there is that little question of who created him in the first place.

What if the LoB was just a prototype?

 

[Nightfall]

What if LoB was also a precursor to something far more sinister...that he was actual a harbinger of the OPPOSITE of the Far Realms, a realm of such infinite perfection that everything else HAD to be destroyed otherwise perfection would die.

 

[ForceUser]

Since we're on the topic--has anyone else drawn a mental parallel between the warforged (Khorvaire's cast-off children, who some claim are without souls) and Battlestar Galactica's Cylons (humanity's cast-off children, who humans claim have software, not souls)?

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Perhaps the LoB's mind escaped in the form of a docent component; any warforged who puts it on is at risk of being possessed.

I am not as fond of this particular plan. If the players killed BBEG then don't take that away from them.

On the other hand, I have no trouble with someone else "claiming" that they are LoB, or that certain warforged will claim LoB has "reached devinety".

Frauds and Zellots are fair game.

Also a plot to resurect/rebuild him is plausable.