ZEITGEIST [Eberron] The Mark of Revolution, or: Not Quite Disco Heaven

TFL

Villager
For the most part, I left Gale as-is. The death of an essence of the Eladrin during the War of the Mark made them mortal, and the second diaspora caused by the locking of the feyspires after the Mourning only incensed their feelings toward Eberron. I played Gale as a young freedom fighter, only a century or two old, desperate to get revenge in her own way by burning down factories in Passage. Once she acquires or creates the Detect Planar Energy ritual, she focuses her efforts on places with the energy of Dolurrh within, hoping that the Unseen Court will take notice and allow her the ability to do more.

For Always on Time, I agree that it's a bit of work to make it line up. Definitely one of the adventures that expects the most particular setup. In my campaign, House Orien had finished their efforts to make a Mourning Rail across the Mournland, having worked on it for about two years at this point. Thus allowing the rail to go as such (Based on the True and Accurate Map of Khorvaire, not sure how these cities line up with the original):

Starilaskur -> Wex (to pick up Luc and Ottavia) -> Vathirond -> Mint -> Vedykar -> Atur -> Rekkenmark -> Thaliost

Mint is a city of my creation from the campaign's prologue, an independent city-state that survived just on the eastern edge of the Mournland, though one could use Griffonclaw as it is somewhat close too. This also allows a steady increase in threat of getting discovered, as moving from Breland to Karrnath to Thrane raises the political implications should an Aundair spy be discovered.

Moving the monster attack to the second day into the Mournland itself I also liked, as it gave the start of the adventure a bit more action that's missing once you drop the vestigial (imo) naval combat at the beginning, though maybe something else could be added to replace it. This path also raises the immediate question of why Bergeron would take this somewhat out of the way path, when heading north along the Western route through Thrane would likely be simpler. The answer turns out to be Luc's want to test his lanterns in the Mournland, but that isn't obvious to the players at first.

Do let me know if you have any questions about what I did. I must admit that while Always on Time was one I was quite excited about, in the end it was the least-liked by our group to the extent that I consider my running of it somewhat of a failure, which I will get into eventually. Though that is entirely on myself and my expectations, and not any grand criticism of the adventure. I do consider it a very well-written chapter in the story.
 

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reighndragon

Explorer
I agree with your assessment. I'm taking a comparable route, only starting in Korranberg. The Zil gnomes paid House Orien handsomely for starting this first lightning rail through the mournlands out of Zilargo. Because the Trust is the organisation behind the Family, I want my players to visit Zilargo. I expect their disguise to be good enough, so no combat encounter in the travel to Korranberg. The train journey is special, because it will travel through the Mournlands, so Malia is not affiliated with bandits, allthough she does help with other "transactions".

Bree and Grientos will enter in Korranberg. Verzubak in Zolanberg, Boone in Sterngate, because the total journey will be longer, I will decrease the frequency of the murders necessary. Luc and Ottavia will enter in Starilaskur, transfer out of Wroat. Cardiff will enter in Zolanberg, acquires the military secrets of the Argoth flying fortress in Sterngate and will depart the train in Vathirond. Mr Mapple will enter the train covertly in Vathirond, because he is curious for the Mournland.

Multiple attacks or environmental encounters in the Mournlands. Luc will test lantern during one of the stops in the Mournland. In my campaign the lightning rail driver needs to be dragonmarked and needs to attune to the lightning rail taking one hour. Two stops necessary for changing driver taking one hour. Damaged train will arrive in Griffonclaw in the morning. During the day repairs, next morning leaving for Gatherhold. Eleanor and Isobel will enter in Griffonclaw. Not sure yet of origin of Isobel, but right now leaning to eladrin originally from Shaelas Tiraleth feyspire.

Atur will be the replacement of Nalaam. Is a Mabar manifest zone, so different vibe. Arena punishment fits Karrnathian law enforcement. Need to adjust the bidders on Isobel. Grientos originally Droaam, will have a debt to the Trust. What did you do for the background of the Grientos?

Korth will be the replacement of Sid Minos. The Lighthouse will be on an island in the Karrn river, within the city. How did you handle the Crypta and the history of Ashima Shintu?

The train will end in Rekkenmark, Luc will be greeted here and will take a boat to Vendricce, an island north of Thaliost. The bridge is not yet repaired, so no lightning rail to Thaliost.
 

TFL

Villager
Ah, interesting how we came to such similar ideas.

I kept the basic beats and timeline the same, with a bit of adjustment for moving the Mournland attack ahead and some massaging for how close the Karrnath stops are. For me, the train made a temporary stop in Stillwater station, and Mournland outpost a little ways west from the border, then continued on to Mint for the night and proper fixes.

Atur naturally made the best Nalaam, and I made somewhat of a showing of King Kaius's lack of oversight for his duchies, as one can imagine that none of the Five Nations would be supportive of slavery, especially of the kind going on with Isobel. I plan to later tie in King Kaius III and Erandis Vol, not quite as part of the Ob, but as supporters or something similar, though I haven't hammered out the details. Isobel herself was exactly what you said. An eladrin from the Zilargan feyspire, who wandered or was swept away in the chaos after the Mourning and is now on her way to be sold in Karrnath by the dreadful Eleanor ir'Yan.

Damata is of Droaamish blood, but lives in Threshold (or Quickstone, as it's actually called, as a sort of joke nod Keith Baker's next book), the border city in Breland. I plan to have adventure six's lightning rail challenge wind from Threshold to Greywall, which fits nicely with Damata's construction company and debt to The Family.

Cardiff's papers being the secrets to Argoth is an excellent idea. I couldn't come up with anything too inspiring, so I ended up leaving the plans as general 'military secrets' being sold to an independent Karrn group.

I put the lighthouse and crypt on an island off the coast of Rekkenmark, and Ashima Shimtu a demon of Sul Khatesh, the Keeper of Secrets. She has been bound there since the pre-Galifar era, but since the Year of Blood and Fire, the crypt has lost the close attention it once had. This whole line I'm still up in the air about, as I know that Ashima Shimtu has quite a tie to the whole Nicodemus thing, especially in Diaspora.

For my campaign, the White Bridge was repaired, and the Ob meeting is also on an island north of Thaliost. Luc just meets Lya in Thaliost proper because it's easier.
 

reighndragon

Explorer
I want to use Erandis Vol and the Emerald Claw as the terrorists of Grandis Komanov. Them being the eschatologist extremists. Haven't thought about using Kaius in the campaign, could be interesting.

According to the Eberron lore Atur has a large degree of independence, due to them keeping the horrors of the Mabaran manifest zone at bay. So lack of oversight on his duchies by Kaius is not applicable in my campaign, but is applicaple specifcally for Atur. Slavery as written is still not permitted.

The Zilargan Fey Spire is more tied to gnomes, so I think her coming out of the Cyran Fey Spire made her more special.

I just posted my versions for Ashima-Shimtu, Damata, and Ottavia in my conversion threat. Curious about your thoughts.
 

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