The Core...Forgotten...Eberron?

[jimmifett]

Check out the history of Eberron. Over on the wotc boards, under eberron lore, look for the Grand History of Eberron thread. Snag and read that PDF for a very large amount of compiled history.

If you find you enjoy Eberron, the 3.5 Eberron source books are packed with awesome fluff and, IMO, are worth the buy, IF you enjoy Eberron.

 

[Herobizkit]

I knew there was a 3e version of Diablo, but I was referencing more the style of the game... where all of your abilities are learned and improved on an ability tree as you level, and you have the option of improving lower-tiered powers versus learning higher-tiered powers as you level. Also, the manner in which the skill system is tied into the combat mechanics (ie Seeing a locked door is classified as an "encounter") gives skills the same 'feel' as character powers...

I suppose, in a sense, I was hinting towards the dreaded 'Video-gamey' adjective without actually saying it.

 

[Obryn]

If you find you enjoy Eberron, the 3.5 Eberron source books are packed with awesome fluff and, IMO, are worth the buy, IF you enjoy Eberron.

Absolutely good advice, if you're looking to delve really deeply into a setting. Different people want different things - some people want to get an overview of a setting, and riff off the themes. Others like to become deeply immersed in a setting, and provide that experience to their players.

If you want more detail on Eberron than the two 4e books have, almost all the fluff from the 3.5 versions is still accurate. That'd be your best source for more depth on specific areas like Xen'drik or Sharn.

IMO, if you're unfamiliar with Eberron, your best bet is to take the shallow approach at first. Don't buy a dozen 200-page hardbacks full of specific details; you'll just overwhelm yourself. Start small, start easy, and pick up more details as they become important. (For example, you probably have little use for a book on Xen'drik if you're not running a game there!)

-O

 

[Mr. Wilson]

Indeed, if you are just starting to learn about Eberron, I highly recommend either the 3E or 4E Campaign settings as the first place to look, then after that either of the player's guides.

Between those two books, you'll have a great foothold into future exploration of the setting, if you so choose.

 

[Castellanox7]

Thank you all!

Thanks everyone for your tips for me. I'm assuming the problem areas I'll have will include differentiating between RP and IRL Character knowledge, as well s just settings. Can anyone recommend me any Eberron novels that I can use to get into the setting?

And to those who are sniping, have fun! I'm sitting back and laughing.

Thanks to everyone again for the warm welcome!

 

[Mr. Wilson]

If you can find them, the Dreaming Dark series by Keith Baker is a great place to start (probably not surprisingly). I know they are currently out of print, but you can get them on a kindle if you have that option.

 

[webrunner]

The main thing to understand about Eberron is that the setting has a train precisely so that PCs can fight on top of it.

Pretty much the entire setting is stuff like that.

 

[Celebrim]

The main thing to keep in mind about any setting is that it was written by a DM. Amongst DM's, we are all peers. The setting that that DM published is his setting. When you borrow that setting for you own table, it becomes your setting. You are not beholden to any sort of cannon or faithful representation of his setting. You aren't publishing a supplement to his game, you are creating a new game setting based on his setting. So feel free to change things according to your taste. Feel free to let things change and depart from the cannon based on the actions of your PC's. Feel free to subvert the deep mysteries of the campaign and make the 'truths' conveyed about the campaign level secrets in the source books mere rumor so that the characters will continually face real surprises and twists and not merely the fulfillment of established expectations. If the leader of some country is known to secretly be the head Twisted Cult of Pederasty and Talking in Theaters, make it someone else and have it turn out that what the players think they know is merely a nasty rumor spread by his political opponents. If the God of Having the Correct Change for Tolls is known to be secretly imprisoned in the depths of the Black Dragon Dungeon, have it actually turn out to be the God of Little Black Lies in disguise. If the Magical McGuffin is hid in the World's Spine Mountains, hide it in the Fire Swamp instead. And so on, and so forth.

Whatever setting you use, remember that the game belongs to you and your players.

Beware also conflict with the setting ego gamer, who own ands memorizes source books so as to gain an unbeatable advantage on the DM in play and to browbeat the DM with small details supposedly being contridicted whenever things aren't going his way. It's best to remind your players right from the start that they are the heroes, that this game may differ in some details from the source books, and that if they really want to stick to cannon then all the fun and important stuff will be done by emo drow elves and lecherous old men while they go and kill some rats.

 

[karlindel]

For setting information, the Wikipedia pages will probably be plenty to get you started (Eberron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and World of Eberron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). The Eberron Wiki also has som handy information, although it's a bit sporadic (Eberron Wiki).

For novels, I will add in a recommendation for the Dreaming Dark series, as it's a good introduction to Eberron and written by the creator of the campaign setting. Heirs of Ash is another trilogy that I strongly recommend for getting the flavor of the world, particularly airships and the draconic prophecy. Night Of Long Shadows is a good read, particularly for the investigative aspect of the world, and the other Inquisitives books are all right, but not noteworthy. Tales of the Last War is an anthology that I have heard good things about but not yet read. I personally don't recommend the Lost Mark trilogy or Binding Stone trilogies, although they weren't bad. I have not yet read any of the other serieses to recommend them.

I like Eberron quite a bit, and I hope that you have a great time in the world.