Eberron Adventure Journal: "Shadows of the Last War"

Barrakas 1 - Barrakas 8, YK 998

Part One - Sharn:
Two weeks had passed since the adventurers had delved into the Cogs in search of a lost Cannith forge and fought the agents of the sinister Lord of Blades. In that time, the adventurers had been making regular stops at the House Sivis message station in Barmin Tower, looking for more messages from Lady Elaydren. William had stopped by the House Cannith enclave from time to time, but each time he stopped, he was told that Lady Elaydren wasn't in.

On another rainy day in Sharn, the adventurers went to make their semi-regular stop in at the Sivis message station. When they arrived, however, they saw that something was not right. The door hung open at an odd angle, one of its hinges separated from the doorframe, and a soft moaning came from inside. William and Brand drew weapons and charged in, while the others moved more cautiously, but they all soon saw the same scene: A ransacked store, with tables overturned and a clerk unconscious, but thankfully alive.

Brand woke Ella, the gnomish clerk they had come to know, and she rushed over in a panic to check the speaking stone. Fortunately, it was intact, and new messages were arriving just fine. Unfortunately, she reported that five kobolds and a humanoid in a cloak had burst in a little while before and snatched the message intended for William, then knocked her unconscious. A little bit of snooping confirmed that there had been kobolds, and they also determined from a careless footprint that the humanoid had been a warforged. Ella was unable to (and not allowed to) remember the message, but a slip of the tongue keyed the adventurers in to the realization that she remembered something, and after a little cajoling, she revealed that she did know the message had been sent by Lady Elaydren.

The adventurers left a message for Lady Elaydren to be picked up the next time Cannith sent messengers down and resolved to meet with her at the Broken Anvil Tavern the next evening. Their meeting turned out to be unnecessary, however, when they stepped back out into the rain and a giant owl flew in and deposited a scroll at their feet. On the scroll was a message from Lady Elaydren

The adventurers rushed over to the Broken Anvil, but fearing a trap, they sent Pel in disguised as a human. He discovered that the tavern was empty, save a woman in a cloak, and he approached her, trying to ascertain that it was Lady Elaydren. He got a look at her face just as she was beginning to cast a spell, and he quickly revealed his true nature. She appeared nervous and somewhat bedraggled, as if she had been on the run for some time.

The others came into the tavern, and Elaydren's nerves didn't seem to noticeably calm. She lifted a leather backpack off the floor and put it on the table, her eyes darting back and forth from the adventurers to the door. "There's no time to explain," she said. "Instructions, gold and supplies are in this pack. Take it and go. The letter in the left-hand pocket explains everything, but you must go now! Trust me. If you can accomplish this task, the rewards will be vast."

Before the adventurers could press Elaydren any further, the door from the street burst open, and the kobolds and warforged burst in. The warforged levelled his crossbow and fired a bolt at Elaydren as Tock reacted and fired his own crossbow at the attacking warforged. Neither bolt struck home, although Elaydren was nicked by the bolt as it went by.

A brutal melee erupted in the tavern, as the kobolds proved unusually proficient with their spears. One of them ran Pel nearly all the way through, another scored several surprising hits on William. The warforged proved even more dangerous, using a magical longsword to land brutal blows on William while keeping the kobolds focused and tactically sound. William managed to disarm the warforged, reducing him to swinging his metal fists, and together the adventurers managed to defeat the kobolds and their master. Elaydren grabbed one of the spears and yelled out "More of these assassins could show up at any moment. All the information you need is in the backpack. Take it and go! Get out of the city as quickly as you can!" and then ran out and into the nearest alleyway, disappearing into the night.

The adventurers picked up the backpack and dashed to a hideout that Pel kept in the Lower Dura Plateau to examine it. They discovered that it was a Heward's Handy Haversack, containing 80 arrows, 80 bolts, 50' silk rope, 5 bedrolls, 5 waterskins, 15 days of trail rations, an everbright lantern, flint and steel, a healer's kit, 5 torches, 3 sacks, 3 vials of holy water, 3 potions of cure light wounds, a pouch with 150 pp, a casket with 500 gp and several items that hinted at their mission.

There was a letter of credit for either House Orien or House Lyrandar covering passage to Rhukaan Draal, capital city of the Hobgoblin-ruled nation of Darguun. There was a three inch rod of blue metal with a sapphire tip which they speculated might be some kind of key, and there was a letter from Lady Elaydren.

The adventurers wanted to depart quickly, but they did take a little bit of time to spend some of the money in the pack, buying new armor and weapons, alchemist's fire, antitoxin, a wand of cure light wounds and a few other odds and ends. Then they decided to take the quicker method of journeying (and the one Brand had encouraged, since it allowed him to steer clear of House Orien), boarding a Lyrandar Elemental Galleon bound for Rhukaan Draal.

XP: 330

Part Two - Darguun
The Lyrandar Galleon Windrider left from the ports at the base of the Sharn cliffs, traveling from the Hilt to the Straits of Shargon along the coast before moving into Zilargo waters and then into Kraken Bay.

The first three days of the journey were fairly uneventful, and the adventurers spent their time recovering from their fight in the tavern. Tock used the time to brew a potion of Cat's Grace for Brand, who spent most of his time sleeping not in the shared cabin but up on the deck, out in the open air. This served him well on the third night, as he heard a scraping noise on the side of the ship. Lysander heard the sound inside the cabin, albeit more faintly, and began making his way up to the deck to investigate.

As it turned out, the mystery of the noise wouldn't last long. Brand went to the side and saw skeletons climbing over, using the fog as cover to climb the side of the ship. Before he could do much more than yell a warning of "Skeletons!" to the crew and his friends below, there were ten of the undead abominations aboard the ship. The half-elf captain dispatched four of his crew to help repel the boarders, and the adventurers, most of them decked out in sleeping clothes rather than armor, rushed to defend the ship as well.

The skeletons proved resistant to the bladed weapons that most of the ship's defenders were using, so William came up with the idea of bull-rushing them off the side and into the water. This tactic worked, and the skeletons were repelled or destroyed, although not before they killed the four half-elves attacking them. The captain gratefully offered a written commendation from House Lyrandar as well as 50 gold to each member of the party as thanks for defending the ship.

A day and a half later, the Windrider pulled into the port of Rhukaan Draal at mid-morning. The goblinoid city, built around what was once a Cyran frontier town, sprawled out in a way quite different from the metropolis of Sharn, full of tents, brick and stone buildings and mud huts, and all centered on a ten story red stone tower at the center of the city. Pel asked the captain how to locate the Bloody Market, and the adventurers had little difficulty finding it, as it was a vast marketplace full of haggling goblins, bugbears, hobgoblins and even a few humans and other humanoids. They did some asking around, and Tock learned that Failin did business in a tavern called The Clenched Fist.

The Clenched Fist seemed to cater to humans and other common races, rather than the goblinoid majority of Rhukaan Draal, but it was still quite crowded. William walked up to the bar and ordered ale for the party, overpaying the bartender, and asked where he could find Failin. The friendly bartender was only too happy to point him out, sitting at a table in the back of the tavern.

Failin was a gangly man with a shock of unruly red hair and clean, well-tailored clothing, giving the immediate impression that he did not lack for gold. He watched the adventurers curiously but unconcerned as they approached. Pel began to offer a diplomatic introduction, but the brusque Brand simply said "We heard you could get us to Rose Quarry."

"Rose Quarry?" Failin said, his words running together in an odd, quick method of speaking. "Very far away. Near the border. Near the gray mist. Mining town. I can take you. Yes. But it will cost you. Sixty gold each, forty up front. You bring your own supplies."

After a half-hearted bit of bargaining, the adventurers agreed to Failin's terms and gave him 20 platinum out of the Heward's Haversack. As they stood to leave, however, a pair of bugbears pushed their way into the bar. "Failin, you cheat us!" they growled, raising their morningstars to threatening positions.

William rushed forward, but Pel took this as an opportunity to negotiate. Failin was reluctant, but agreed to 37 gold each instead of 60, and William slashed into one of the bugbears, wounding him so grievously that he immediately fled. The other, braver than he was smart, attacked William and got killed for his troubles. Failin then rushed the adventurers out of the tavern, promising the refund he owed them "later, later. To my land cart!"

The land cart he spoke of was an Orien elemental-powered land cart, a large covered wagon with room for eight passengers. It was powered by a Khyber dragonshard that bound an earth elemental to the wagon, which had the side effect of making the wagon look as though it were decoared with stones, gems and other crystalline protrusions.

Failin rolled up his right sleeve, exposing a least Dragonmark of passage, and spoke the draconic word for "travel," which activated the land cart, starting a low rumbling sound. The adventurers packed in, and the rumbling noise got louder as the cart began moving across the ground, its wheels half-in and half-out of the ground, providing a smooth ride despite the terrain.

XP: 550

Part Three - Rose Quarry
It took about three and a half days for the land cart to make the trip from Rhukaan Draal to Rose Quarry. Like Rhukaan Draal, Rose Quarry was a Cyran frontier town before the war, but now it was a ruined town so near the Mournland that inhabitants could see the dead-gray mist from the ridge that surrounded it. Failin explained that House Cannith prospectors established the village when they found a massive vein of red marble, and then brought in dwarves from the Mror Holds to mine it. "Half the red stone in Khorvaire probably came from this quarry," he said.

When the land cart closed in on Rose Quarry, the sun had set and the moon was rising. Failin stopped the cart as they crested a rise, seeing light echoing off the sides of the red canyon and smoke drifting lazily into the air. "Were you expecting company?"

The adventurers proceeded on foot to the edge of the cliff, and looked down into the town, which sat in a crater about 50 feet below them. From their vantage point, they spotted about sixteen horses, two dozen wagons, and seven humans in chainmail armor. Lysander, his eyes sharper in the twilight, determined that they were wearing the distinctive half-faceplate design of the Emerald Claw, and that two skeletons stood guard at one of their tents. All of them heard a periodic ringing sound to the north, like that of a pick striking stone or ice.

Given his ability to see more clearly in the dim lighting and his stealth abilities, Lysander was chosen to scout the area, looking for the map that Elaydren's letter had told them about. He carried one of the invisibility potions Tock had brewed with him as a last resort.

Initially, the scouting mission seemed to be going alright. Lysander stayed north of the Emerald Claw camp, instead investigating the ruins to the north. He quickly realized that the entire town was covered in glass, as if it had been poured in molten form over the village, burning it to cinders and then freezing the remains. He encountered the former inhabitants of the village just after that, dwarven zombies coated in a layer of thick glass. He rushed to a nearby alcove and, afraid that the zombies would find him, drank his potion of invisibility.

He then decided to investigate one of the two standing structures in the town. He steered clear of the ruined church of the Sovereign Host, instead heading into the Cannith Refinery, which the ringing noises were emanating from. As he moved in, a powerful looking woman and an Emerald Claw soldier emerged from the entrance, and he froze when they seemed to hear him. The woman noticed that the dwarven glass zombies had moved, and using hand signals, indicated that the soldier should move in that direction. They both went to investigate the place where Lysander had just been, and he ducked into the refinery.

Once inside, he saw another dwarven zombie stacking rubble in the outer rooms, and he went into the inner room. There, he saw a large room with four chimneys that had obviously once been used to shape and polish the red stone from the quarry. He also saw two Emerald Claw soldiers, digging in the rubble and obviously looking for something. Perhaps most importantly, he noted that the floor was a detailed, bas relief map of central Khorvaire, showing the nations of Aundair, Cyre, Karrnath, Thrane and Breland, showing cities, topographical features and even major mines, although not the location of Whitehearth or other Cannith research facilities. The room was surrounded by six statues, located in pairs of two next to fireplaces on three of the walls.

Lysander realized his potion was wearing off, so he attempted to climb one of these fireplaces up and out. Unfortunately, his hands slipped and he fell to the bottom with a loud crash, just as his invisibility wore off. The Emerald Claw Soldiers turned and looked, surely thinking he had just climbed in through the fireplace.

As one charged and the other started to run for help, Lysander cast a sleep spell. The one who had been seeking help dropped into a dreamless sleep, but the other shook it off and swung his morningstar at Lysander, who ducked out of the way. Lysander ran out the door, with the Emerald Claw soldier in hot pursuit.

He ran out and around the refinery, heading for the rope he had used to descend into the canyon. The rest of the adventurers, seeing his situation, began firing arrows at his pursuer. This discouraged pursuit, but lead to the soldier rushing over to the camp, and as Lysander reached the top of the rope and pulled it up after him, the adventurers realized that a pitched battle with the Emerald Claw was coming.

The forces emerged from two different parts of the camp. Near Lysander's point of exit, on the far end of the ridge, the military leader of the forces, a human woman named Kaela, moved in with one Emerald Claw soldier, following their unsuccessful attempt to locate Lysander when they heard him moving around invisibly. The bulk of the forces, however, emerged from the camp. Keltis Doran, a cleric of the Blood of Vol, and Mallora, a female human necromancer, led a contingent of 9 Emerald Claw Warriors and 2 Skeletons toward the ridge. Half of the Emerald Claw soldiers provided covering fire with their crossbows, and one scored a lucky and grievous hit on Pel, while the others moved quickly toward the ridge. Meanwhile, the adventurers fired down on the advancing forces, hoping to whittle their numbers before they scaled the hill. Tock infused his crossbow bolts with a shocking aura, and combined with fire from Brand, Lysander and William, managed to kill Mallora despite her Mage Armor and use of cover.

The crossbow and bow shots from above and below the ridge mostly fell against the cover, and soon the melee had begun in earnest. Tock managed to finish off Kaela with one of his shocking bolts before she could fully charge, and dispatched her soldier shortly after he closed in as well. Meanwhile, the rest of the adventurers dealt with the larger Emerald Claw force. Brand and William both found themselves surrounded, and each of them took serious damage, but the use of their new Wand of Cure Light Wounds by Lysander kept them in the fight, and Brand managed to dispatch Keltis after William successfully shrugged off his attempt at a cause fear spell. The adventurers faced a pitched battle with the remaining Emerald Claw soldiers, but they eventually emerged, tired, battered and wounded but victorious.

XP: 1120

Skill Synergies

As Paul noted last time, you guys now have enough skill levels that you will get synergy bonuses. As an example, Tock has a +2 to his Spellcraft because of 5+ ranks in Knowledge (arcana), a +2 on Spellcraft involving scrolls because of 5+ ranks in Use Magic Devices and a +2 on Use Magic Device involving scrolls because of 5+ ranks in Spellcraft. So everyone... check your synergy bonuses! You can find a guide HERE.

Upcoming Game Schedule

April 7th - Eberron: Shadows of the Last War (Paul out)
April 14th - Randy & Suzanne's House-Cooling Party... no gaming
April 21st - Eberron: Whisper of the Vampire's Blade (Chris out)
April 28th - ?? (Randy out, no Eberron)
May 5th - ?? (Randy out, no Eberron)
May 12th - Eberron: Whisper of the Vampire's Blade (Nate out)
May 19th - Eberron: Whisper of the Vampire's Blade (Everyone in?)
May 26th - Eberron: Grasp of the Emerald Claw (Everyone in?)

By the way, I've offered Dave the chance to come in and "guest play" anybody who is out for the week if his other gaming group (filthy traitor!) schedule coincides. That way, maybe the NPC character will be less likely to be used as a door opener and arrow shield, etc.

Two Weeks Have Passed...

Lharvion 14 - Lharvion 28, YK 998

Since your adventuring band made its way into the Cogs to find a lost Cannith foundry and recover an ancient schema for Lady Elaydren d'Cannith. In the meantime, your characters have been going about their usual duties for Morgrave. Hoping for more work from Lady Elaydren, you have begun making weekly (and sometimes more frequent) excursions to the House Sivis message station in Barmin Tower, usually as a group but occasionally on your own. You have also been involved in the following:

William - William was called in to speak with his Uncle Maresh d'Deneith the day after he returned from the Cogs. His Uncle told him sternly that he knew what William had been up to, and then the facade cracked and he told him how proud he was of his adventurous and skilled nephew. "What your mother doesn't know," Maresh said with a wink, "certainly won't hurt her." He cautioned William about the dangers of adventuring, however, saying that if anything happened to him Maresh would have hell to pay with William's mother. He also arranged for all of William's messages from his mother to be routed through the Sivis message station at the Barmin Tower (in the Dragon Towers district of the Middle Central Plateau) rather than picked up by a house servant, to make it easier for William to covertly check for any messages from Lady Elaydren without his mother getting wind of it.

Brand - A message has come in from his mother, Sheryn Wayfinder, via the Sivis message station in Barmin Tower. "Looking forward to your next visit. A friend in a faraway location has sent you a gift for your next birthday."

Tock - Tock has been spending most of his downtime in Goath's artificer workshop, learning and perfecting the secrets of brewing potions while he begins his lessons on wondrous items at the same time.

Lysander - His old teacher Chiarlan (has been in town, performing a variety of new stories and songs learned in Zilargo from the gnome bard Herschel Proudhome. He is performing with (and learning from) the great gnome bard Kessler at the famous Khavish Theatre in Upper Menthis (see Sharn: City of Towers p. 66). He has been teaching these songs and stories to Lysander, as well as passing along some information gleaned in his conversations with the information-hungry gnomes. He has heard that the Emerald Claw is on the move, with a line on some sort of powerful artifact from before the war. He has heard that there is a new skyship being built called The Golden Dragon as a monument to the peace of the Five Nations, and that it is supposedly the largest skyship ever built. When he said he was coming back to Sharn, Herschel told him to be careful, as he'd heard that the Inspired had infiltrated some of the most powerful organizations in the city.

Chiarlan has also been able to get Lysander a job as an understudy in the nightly performances of Kinlen's Folly, a musical comedy being performed at Gailan's in the Torchlight District, which is a big step up in Lysander's career. (see Sharn: City of Towers p. 78)

Pel - Pel has made his monthly visit to The Cracked Mirror in a separate identity from his identity at Morgrave. The Cracked Mirror is located in The Callestan district of The Lower Dura Plateau, coincidentally the same district that holds The Broken Anvil tavern, where the adventurers met Lady Elaydren for the first time. The Cracked Mirror is a front for the Tyrants, and Pel goes on a random day each month to check in with Xain, a changeling loyal to his father, to pass on any new information gained at Morgrave. This time out, he's passed on the information about Lady Elaydren, the schema they recovered, the Lord of Blades' interest in it and the lost Cannith foundry and its location in the Cogs. His father, in return, passes on the information that Cord has gotten them embroiled in a turf war with Moloch, an ogre who runs a Daask cell in Lower Dura, over the distribution of dreamlily. In short, be more cautious than ever of the Daask in the area, who are taking out the feud on any and all changelings in the area.

Character/Equipment Updates

Questions from last adventure regarding equipment:

1) Who wound up picking up the Longsword +1 to use?

Pel

2) Who traded up in weapons? I know William picked up a couple, Brand got the masterwork rapier, and I think Tock got the masterwork heavy mace... any others?

See above.

With the gold he also picked up a cloak made of Darkweave material, which give a +1 circumstance bonus on hide in dark or shadowy conditions. GM permitting, of course.

Potion & Scroll Costs

"Invisibilty would be quite lovely, yes, thanks," said Pel, raising an eyebrow, "even though I suppose one couldn't actually see it."

Brand would totally dig a Cure Light Wounds or two (though we could just plan to brew up a bunch for the party). I'd also spend 150 on a Potion of Cat's Grace. Maybe Pel or Lysander would dig Invisibility? Anyone else have any requests so that Nate can figure out what to brew with his available craft reserve?

Nate,

It'll take you 1 day to create any of these scrolls or brew any of these potions, and you'll have about 14 days between the end of the Forgotten Forge and the beginning of the next adventure, Shadows of the Last War. You can spend 20 points of your craft reserve (that's the XP cost) on scrolls only, and the remaining 40 points on either scrolls or potions. You'll need to cover the gold cost too, but you've got 300 gold and presumably if you're making party potions you can get money from the party treasure and other party members, so presume you've got in the neighborhood of 500 gold to spend.

You'll also have to make Use Magic Device skill checks in order to create these items. If you fail the check, you still spend the gold and XP and the day required to create. The good news is, as an Artificer, if you fail the check, you get to make it again as a "last ditch" effort, so essentially you get two chances to roll. We can do all of this before we start gaming next time, if we both show up around 7:00... but I'm going to provide a list of potions here so you can have a general idea what you might want to do. These are all spells, which should be in your Player's Handbook... which is probably at Ben and Chris's place, I realize.

Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Hide from animals, Hide from undead, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic fang, Magic stone, Magic weapon, Pass without trace, Protection from (alignment), Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith +2, Shillelagh, Bless Weapon, Enlarge Person, Reduce Person - All would cost 25 GP and 2 XP, and require a Use Magic Device roll of DC 21 (12 or better, essentially).

Aid, Barkskin +2, Bear's Endurance, Blur, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Eagle's splendor, Fox's cunning, Invisibility, Lesser restoration, Levitate, Misdirection, Owl's Wisdom, Protection from Arrows 10/Magic, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy, Spider Climb, Undetectable Alignment - 150 gp, 12 XP and requires a Use Magic Device roll of DC 23 (14 or better)

Anything above that you're going to need one more level in Artificer to achieve, at which point you'll probably start making Wondrous items anyway. Anyway, think it over and we can take care of it when we start gaming next week.

Eberron Adventure Journal: "The Forgotten Forge"

Lharvion 12 - Lharvion 14, YK 998

Our story begins as the adventurers took a contract with Jaina Dewell, of Dewell Potions, to deliver a box of potion components to the Dewell Potions Shop in Dava Gate. For their trouble, they were paid with a potion of cure light wounds each.

The rain was pouring down in Sharn that night, and the party walked through sheets of water across the labyrinthine walkways of the City of Towers. As they reached a skybridge between Dalannan Tower and the Kelsa Spire, Pel spotted a figure in a dark cloak moving quietly through the rain. Lightning flashed, illuminating the figure and a dark shape lying on the bridge for a moment, before the cloaked figure dove over the side of the bridge.

The party moved forward to investigate, and they saw that an elderly human was lying dead on the bridge, a leather satchel clutched tightly in his hands. Before they had much chance to investigate, the cloaked figure returned, leaping from the underside of the bridge to attack! The figure was Cutter, a warforged barbarian in service to the Lord of Blades. She swung her axe wildly and inaccurately, chopping first one side of the bridge and then the other as Pel nimbly dodged her attack. Her mithral-laced form resisted many of the attacks levelled against her, but Brand was able to sink two arrows deep into her form, and William moved in to finish her off with a strong stroke of his two-handed greatsword. The adventurers watched as a final messenger lifted from Cutter's body and flew off, presumably informing the Lord of Blades of what had transpired.

With the battle over, and the Watch clearly on the way thanks to citizens shouting from other platforms, the party took a moment to inspect the body. It was Bonal Geldem, a provost of Pre-Galifar Studies at Morgrave, and the party discovered that the satchel, in addition to containing writing implements, paper and a snack, contained some kind of well-made leather journal.

They didn't have much chance to inspect it, however, as Sgt. Dolom of the Watch arrived with two other guards. He blustered and demanded to know what was happening, but Lysander quickly convinced him that they had intervened on Bonal's behalf and killed a renegade Warforged. A poor inquisitive, Dolom had his guards pick up Bonal's body for transport to Morgrave, and told the party to move along, and "perhaps leave these kinds of things to the Watch in the future."

The party then delivered their potion components, earning a small tip in response from Jaina's uncle Malin. They decided to spend this tip at an inn where they could get a better look at the journal. On their way to the inn, they were intercepted by another cloaked figure, one who held out a signet ring indicating he belonged to House Cannith. "If you would know the truth of Bonal Geldem's murder," he said, "go to the Broken Anvil tavern at dawn." With that, he disappeared into the rain and the night.

The party arrived at a tavern and inspected the journal. They found it to be of high quality, with a mithral thread woven primitive version of the House Cannith seal on the cover and entirely blank pages within. Lysander detected a strong universal magic aura from the book, but Tock was unable to identify it, as his spell wouldn't properly decode the magic, clearly of an older age.

After retiring to their apartments to rest and recover, the party met up once more and journeyed to the Broken Anvil. There, they met the Lady Elaydren d'Cannith, who told them that Bonal had been trying to recover a schema by locating a foundry from Pre-Galifar Sharn, located beneath the sewers of Dorasharn Tower. She also used her signet ring to activate the journal, revealing the pages to be full of notes, maps and other work done by Bonal. She offered the group 1,000 gold, plus 100 gold to outfit themselves, if they would journey into the sewers, find the foundry and recover the schema. With William encouraged by the promise of combat, Pel and Lysander intrigued by the potential information and Tock interested in pre-Galifar magic, they were an easy sell.

From there, the party used Bonal's map (given to them by Elaydren) to find a Rat's Market in the lowest inhabited level of Dorasharn Tower. They met with a goblin named Skakan, who informed them that he had spoken with warforged and knew that they were seeking the E-213 Valve Cluster. His attempts to extort money were whittled down considerably when Brand bargained with him and William backed up the bargaining with physical intimidation. As they bargained, Pel and Tock noticed a shifter eyeing them warily, but he vanished into the crowded market when he was noticed. Skakan lead them to a narrow staircase descending down into the darkness, pointed the way and said "The valve cluster is down there. Pleasure doing business with you!"

As they entered the staircase, the party was wary of a trap, and indeed they found one. A warforged rogue attacked them, and was quickly dispatched by William's sword. A final messenger detached itself from the rogue's body, flew up and out of the sewer. When they emerged into the sewer, with a series of 12 valves discharging sewer runoff into the shallow water, they were attacked by the warforged's minions, a pair of razorclaw shifter. The shifters moved in, attacking Tock and Lysander, but they were quickly dealt with by the party.

Moving down the waterway, the party discovered a circular metal hatch set into the tunnel wall, engraved with arcane runes and bearing a glowing symbol of mithral depicting the same icon as Bonal's journal. Pel inspected it, determined that there was an acid splash trap attached, and couldn't find any easy way to open it. Instead, he held aloft the journal, which glowed, and the door glowed in response and slid open.

Once inside, the party found a vertical shaft about five feet wide descending into the darkness. Using the climbing gear they had purchased earlier, they sent a sunrod down, learning that it bottomed out at about 90 feet. They each descended down the rope and walked down the corridor that they found at the bottom, until they emerged at the entrance to a large, open chamber.

Dropping down the six feet from their entrance to the floor of the chamber, the group was set upon by swarms of carnivorous beetles. Tock used his magic to ignite his mace, and Brand lit a torch from the mace, offering some weapons against the vile swarms. William, meanwhile, ran farther into the chamber, encountering a pair of Horrid Rats, which he smashed one by one with no damage on his own part. After the beetles swarmed over Brand and Pel, the party fled to where William was, and the beetle swarms dispersed.

The party then located the ruins of a former temple, which still had a serene aura indicating that its battered shell retained some of the calming, sanctuary effects of its former use. Rather than rest, however, they pressed on, discovering the long lost forge of House Cannith that they had been seeking. The door was trapped and featured an amazing lock, and the forge had solid walls, but William climbed the twenty foot walls and found a gaping hole in the ceiling. He threw a sunrod down to see what awaited him below. There he saw stone and rubble that had crushed a metallic dog-like creature, and across the way, he saw two more of them, their eyes glowing with arcane light. With a hearty cry of "Metal dogs! Hurrah!" William plunged down into the forge.

The rest of the party soon joined him, as William engaged in battle with two Iron Defenders. The Defenders put up a good fight, injuring and nearly killing Pel and hurting William as well, but they were eventually defeated. When they died, each Defender popped an iron rod out of its forehead. One was triangular, the other rectangular, and the party realized that the other dog probably had one as well. Working as a team and spending about twenty minutes, they managed to lift the stone and pull out the remaining rod, which was pentagonal in shape. These shapes corresponded to depressions in the wall of the forge against the far wall. In the meantime, Brand and Pel searched the shelves along the southern wall, locating a number of items, including a masterwork small chain shirt, masterwork heavy mace and a masterwork rapier.

William and Pel reasoned that the rods should be inserted in order of how many sides they were, triangle first, rectangle second and pentagon third, and this worked, unlocking the forge. Within they found gold, silver, gold ingots, potions and the schema they were seeking.

The party began to climb out of the hole, and as William climbed out, he tried to remain prone, but he was still struck by a flaming crossbow bolt. A metallic voice cried out "Weak flesh! Now you face Saber, greatest of the devoted followers of the Lord of Blades. Throw down the schema and walk away. This day does not have to end with blood on my hands."

Lysander used a Silent Image spell to throw up a cover of fog, as Brand used his dragonmark to teleport outside and find cover. Using the fog as cover, the party began climbing up onto the roof, looking to see if they could find Saber. As they did, Lysander began singing a war ballad about a brave soldier who had faced down 200 warforged all on his own.

Eventually, the party spotted Saber, staying under cover across the chamber and trying to find another shot with his crossbow. Pel moved out under cover of shadows to try and get behind him, as William disembarked to the floor of the chamber and Tock did the same. Brand kept Saber covered, waiting for an open shot, which he got when Saber moved out into the open, trying to get closer. The party jockeyed for position, and when Saber finally spent his last flaming crossbow bolt on a failed shot at Lysander, they moved in to attack. Saber put up a brief but impassioned fight, but ultimately William brought him down with a swing of his greatsword. Pel, who had been waiting, used his cloak to catch and smash the final messenger, preventing news of Saber's battle from reaching the Lord of Blades later.

With Saber's magical sword now tucked away in Pel's belt, the party went up to the surface, met up with Lady Elaydren in the Broken Anvil and gave her the schema in exchange for their gold. She expressed her gratitude, and told them to check in periodically with the House Sivis message station at the Barmin Tower for more work in the future.

XP Reward: 1020

Eberron Character: Brand Wayfinder

Name: Brand Wayfinder d'Orien
Human Ranger 10
Fighting Style: Beast Mastery
Beast Companion Type: Wolf
Background: Eldeen Reaches (+2 to Athletics)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 10, Dex 13, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 10, Dex 13, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 10.

Init +6
Speed 7
Passive Insight 18
Passive Perception 23
Languages Common, Giant

AC: 22 Fort: 23 Reflex: 20 Will: 20
HP: 67 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 16

TRAINED SKILLS
Perception +13, Nature +13, Endurance +9, Acrobatics +10, Athletics +16, Stealth +10, Arcana +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Bluff +5, Diplomacy +5, Dungeoneering +8, Heal +8, History +6, Insight +8, Intimidate +5, Religion +6, Streetwise +5, Thievery +5

FEATS
Mark of Passage, Blade Initiate, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Novice Power, Acolyte Power, Adept Power

POWERS
At-Will: Circling Strike, Hit and Run, Twin Strike

Encounter: Enclose the Prey, Paired Predators, Dimensional Vortex

Daily: Hunter's Bear Trap, Two-Wolf Pounce, Dimensional Bond

Utility: Pack Dimensional Warp, Weave Through the Fray, Companion Emplacement

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Candle (3), Climber's Kit, Everburning Torch, Fine Clothing, Flask (empty), Flint and Steel, Grappling Hook, Hammer, Journeybreads (20), Oil (1 pint), Pitons (10), Pouch, Belt (empty), Ritual Book, Rope, Silk (50 ft.), Sunrod (4), Tent, Torch (3), Waterskin, Deathcut Hide Armor +2, Longbow, Arrows (60), Dagger (2), Sacrificial Longsword +3, Lightning Short sword +1, Boots of Striding (heroic tier), Amulet of Physical Resolve +1, Bag of Holding (heroic tier), Alchemist's Acid (level 1), Alchemist's Fire (level 1), Antivenom (heroic tier), Panther Tears (heroic tier), Ghoststrike Oil (level 3) (2), Woundpatch (heroic tier), Alchemical Silver (heroic tier), Lodret Leaf (heroic tier), Tanglefoot Bag (level 7), Quickhit Braces (heroic tier), Arcane Signet Ring, Identification Papers, Standard, Traveling papers

RITUALS
Raise Beast Companion, Water Walk

History: Brand's father, Traega d'Orien, was a noble in the House of Orien and was next in line for succession to a position of influence within the house. A cousin who was next in line after the father was not strong like most in his house. He was sickly and weak and grew to be quite diabolical, especially for the House of Orien. When Traega d'Orien fell in love with Sheryn, a druid from the Eldeen Reaches, the cousin revealed their love affair and arranged things so that the Traega was exiled. Traega and his lover went to the Eldeen Reaches. The cousin hired mercenaries to kill Traega once he was far away from the watchful eyes of House Orien, but he survived the attack. Traega d'Orien escaped and drew his pursuers after him to keep them away from his lover.

However, he had left Brand’s mother, Sheryn, pregnant. She quickly wed a close friend to cover up the fact that the child came from the House of Orien. Brand’s dragonmark manifested as a teenager and he and his mother went to great lengths to cover it up. One day he had to use his power to save a friend and thus his mark was revealed. The cousin had left a spy in the village all these years, just in case the father should return. The spy reported that the father had a son, so the cousin led a delegation from the House of Orien to retrieve the boy. The elders of the Eldeen Reaches declared that Brand should return with the cousin for political reasons.

Once he was in his new environment, Brand tried to learn the ways of the House of Orien. However, he was very put off with the intricacies of political maneuvering. He learned from someone loyal to his father the truth about his father’s exile and the cousin’s treachery. He also learned that his father is still alive. He took off, heading out to look for his father. He learned that his dad was last spotted in Xen'drik, the lost continent, so he went to work for Morgrave University in Sharn as a cartographer. When fate finally brought Brand to Xen'drik, he had little hope of finding his father on so vast a continent. However, when Brand was struck by a mummy in combat and began to feel the ravages of its disease upon his flesh, he learned that his father had been keeping an eye out for him as well. For in that grave moment, Brand's father appeared from a Dimension Door, saying, "It's good to have oracles, boy." Then Traega d'Orien spirited Brand away to locales unknown.

As it turned out, "locales unknown" was his father's camp in Xen'drik, where Brand got to stay with his father and his allies for a few months, training and studying until he rejoined the Wolves a few months later. Upon returning to Khorvaire, he returned to House Orien and revealed that he was alive, beginning his training as a Blade of Orien.

3.5 Stats:
Race: Human
Class: Ranger 6/Rogue 1/Blade of Orien 2
Experience: 38,022 (Next Level 45,000)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Religion: Balinor/Sovereign Host
Homeland: Eldeen Reaches
Age: 18 Height: 6'1" Weight: 162 lbs.

Statistics: STR 14, DEX 18 (22), CON 12, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 11, BAB +8/+3, Fort +5 (+7), Ref +10 (+17), Will +2 (+5), Init +4 (+6), AC 23 +25% miss chance (AC 22 when not using 2 weapons) (+4 armor, +6 Dex, +1 Two-Weapon Defense, +1 Ring, +1 Amulet), Move: 40, HP 62

Skills: Balance +2 synergy (+8), Bluff (+2 vs. Warforged/+4 vs. Humans) Climb +1 (+3), Concentration +1 (+2), Diplomacy +3 (+6), Handle Animal +9 (+9), Heal +3 (+4), Hide +10 (+16), Jump +0 (+9), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6 (+8), Knowledge (Geography) +1 (+3), Knowledge (Nature) +8 (+12), Listen +3 (+4/+6 vs. Warforged/+8 vs. Humans), Move Silently +12 (+18), Profession (Cartographer) +2 (+3), Ride +3 (+11), Search +3 (+5), Sense Motive +5 (+6, +8 vs. Warforged/+10 vs. Humans), Spot +8 (+9, +11 vs. Warforged/+13 vs. Humans), Survival +12 (+15, +17 above ground, +18/20 vs. Warforged/+20/22 vs. Humans), Tumble +9 (+15)

Spells: 1st - 2/day Default: Embrace the Wild (SC), Blades of Fire (SC)

Class Abilities: Favored Enemy: Warforged +2/Humans +4, Track, Wild Empathy (+2 synergy), Two Weapon Fighting, Endurance, Animal Companion, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Trapfinding, Sneak Attack +1d6, Heir's Mark, Improved Dimension Leap, Swift Leap
Weapons/Attacks: +15/+10 (1d6+3/+5 vs. Warforged/+7 vs. Humans, Rapier +1), +15/+10 (1d6 Electricity +1d6+2/+4 vs. Warforged/+6 vs. Humans, Shortsword of Shock), +13/+8/+13/+10 (Two-Weapon Fighting: Rapier/Rapier/Short Sword/Short Sword), +15/+10 (1d8 +1/+4 vs. Favored Enemies, +1 Hunting Longbow w/20 arrows) SNEAK ATTACK: +1d6

Equipment:

+1 Rapier (Keen), +1 Masterwork Short Sword of Shock, +2 Chitin Armor (w/Crystal of Lifekeeping), +1 Bastard Sword, Light Mace, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Minor Cloak of Displacement, Vest of Resistance +1, Ring of Protection +1, Gloves of Dexterity +4, Bag of Tricks (Rust), Golembane Scarab, Hat of Disguise, Potion Bracer, Potion: Cure Moderate Wounds (3), Potion: Cure Light Wounds (3), Potion: Lesser Restoration, Potion:Protection From Evil (2), Potion:Hide From Undead, Oil: Magic Weapon (2), Oil: Bless Weapon (3), Silversheen (4), Scrolls: Restoration, Charm Animal (2), Magic Fang (9), Summon Nature's Ally I, Cat's Grace, Speak With Animals (4), Cure Serious Wounds, Aspect of the Wolf (2nd), Boots of Striding & Springing, Pearl of Power (1st level), Bracer of Continual Flame, Wand: Cure Light Wounds (48 charges), Daylight Pellet (2), Backpack, Belt Pouch, Traveler's Outfit (Glamerweave), Acidic Fire (2), Noxious Smokesticks (2), Smokestick (1), Feather Fall Token (3), Wandering Wolves signet ring, 6 CP, 10 SP, 243 GP, 11 PP, Gems worth 2,095 GP, Letter of Credit: 600 GP

In Bag of Holding (Type 2):
Candle, Map Case (1), Map of Giant City from someone working for his devious uncle Aeromus, Fishhook, Flint & Steel, Ink (1 oz. vial), Inkpen, Small Steel Mirror, Parchment (5 sheets), Trail Rations (1 day), Eternal Rations (0 days), Sewing Needle, Torch (2), Waterskin, Whetstone, (1) Sunrod, (5) Antitoxin, Panther's Tears (1 - gives low-light vision, but with strong light sensitivity), (1) Vermin Ointment (drives off vermin), Hunter's kit (+2 circumstance bonus to Survival when hunting/foraging, or helps throw off trail of those tracking by scent - 10 uses), (2) Dagger, Glamerweave Noble's Outfit

Feats: Least Dragonmark (Dimensional Leap 90' 4/Day), Lesser Dragonmark (Dimension Door 2/Day, 1,380', 4 passengers), Greater Dragonmark (Teleport 1/Day, 1,200 miles, 4 passengers), Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Defense
Proficiencies: Simple & Martial Weapons, Shields, Light Armor
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Goblin, Drow
Contacts: Lionel d'Vadalis in Sharn

Name: WHITEHEARTH
Race: Wolf
Statistics: STR 14, DEX 16, CON 15, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 6, BAB/Grapple +3/+2, Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +1, Init +3, AC 17 (Touch 13, Flat Footed 14), Speed 50', HP 29

Skills: Hide +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3, Survival +1 (+4 to track by Scent)
Feats: Trace, Weapon Focus (Bite)
Tricks (7): Attack, Track, Down, Guard, Heel, Stay, Defend
Special Abilities: Low Light Vision, Scent, Link, Share Spells
Weapons/Attacks: +6 (1d6+2, Bite), +6 (1d6+2, Full Attack, Bite)
A wolf that hits with a bite can attempt a trip (+1 check modifier) as a free action with no touch attack or attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot attempt to trip the wolf.

Name: Crowley
Race: Medium Viper
Statistics: STR 8, DEX 17, CON 11, INT 1, WIS 12, CHA 2, BAB/Grapple +1/+0, Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1, Init +3, AC 16 (Touch 13, Flat Footed 13), Speed 20' (climb/swim), HP 9

Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +12, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +7
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Tricks (7): Attack
Special Abilities: Scent, Link, Share Spells
Weapons/Attacks: +4 (1d4-1 plus poison, Bite)
Poison (Ex) - Poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con (DC 11).

Name: LANDSTRIDER
Race: Magebred Light Riding Horse
Statistics: STR 16, DEX 17, CON 17, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 6, BAB/Grapple +2/+8, Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2, Init +1 (+4), AC 17 (Touch 14, Flat Footed 14), Speed 70', HP 30

Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Endurance, Run, Excellent Learner, Alertness
Tricks (8): Come, Heel, Stay, Track, Fetch
Special Abilities: Low Light Vision, Scent
Weapons/Attacks: -1 (1d4+1, Hoof), -1/-1 (1d4+1, Full Attack, 2 Hooves)

Who is this Woman?

Who is she? What does she have to offer your characters, and ask of them in return? You'll find out on Friday!

Oh, and unless my calendar is incorrect, I believe Friday is also Ben's birthday!

Feng Shui Some Other Friday!

Gaming is called on account of lack 'o gamers. We'll pick up with Forgotten Realms next week, and then start Eberron on the 24th (or 31st, depending on schedules and whether or not we get to an FR stopping point).

Feng Shui Friday!

Feng Shui is an RPG based on action movies, specifically influenced by the Hong Kong action movies of John Woo, Tsui Hark and the like. Kung-fu, gunplay and sorcery. The game also includes some sci-fi and fantasy elements. You guys won't need to worry too much about the details of the setting, as for the introductory adventure (which may be the only adventure, if we just run a one-shot), your characters will just be modern-day heroes who don't really know about all the strangeness they're about to encounter. Think Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China.

Basic Rules:
1. Dice - You'll have two dice, six-sided, of two different colors. One is your negative die, the other your positive. You roll both, subtract negative from positive, add it to whatever attribute/skill you're using, and aim for a target number. Most of the time, if you roll a six (on either die), you'll roll again and add that number in. So it's a dice mechanic similar to Shadowrun, for those familiar with that, except with the addition of negative dice.

2. Stats - You have four primary attributes - Body, Chi, Mind and Reflexes. Each of these has sub-attributes: Bod (Move, Strength, Constitution, Toughness), Chi (Fortune, Kung Fu and Magic), Mind (Charisma, Intelligence, Perception, Will), Reflexes (Agility, Manual Dexterity, Speed).

3. Combat - Combat basically works like this: You roll initiative, which is one six-sided die (no rerolling sixes on this one) added to your Speed sub-attribute. The action is judged in terms of "shots" instead of rounds or turns. Think "shots" like shots from a movie set, rather than shots from a gun, and it mostly makes sense. The highest initiative count determines how many shots are in the "sequence," which represents more or less three seconds of real time. The GM counts down the shots, and each time it hits your initiative, you act. Each action uses up a certain number of shots (firing a gun at one opponent is one shot, at two is two, dodging an attack is one shot, etc.) and reduces your initiative count. When the shot clock hits 0, we roll initiative again. Don't worry too much about how damage works, I'll explain it on the fly and it's pretty easy. Mostly you'll be fighting unnamed mooks, and as long as you do about 10 points of damage, they'll be taken down with one shot.

4. Style - The style of Feng Shui is to do everything big and loud. Don't say "I shoot the guy" when you can say "I spin around, whip my .45 out of my coat at blinding speed and put two bullets into his head." Don't say "I punch the guy" when you can say "I pull out the desk drawer, push his face down into it, and slam it shut." This sort of imaginative, over-the-top description of how your characters fight and move is the key to making the game fun.

Characters:
Since I'm running a one-shot on relatively short notice, we're not going to go real in-depth on character creation. I'm going to build four different characters using their templates, bring them to the game, you guys can take one of the characters and we'll go from there. What I'm planning on having right now are: Ex-Special Forces, Killer, Martial Artist and Maverick Cop.

Background:
When we start, your characters will be mostly strangers to one another. The Killer and Ex-Special Forces guys will have trained together way back when, but otherwise, mostly unrelated. You'll all be attending the funeral of Old Man Fong, a kindly ice cream vendor in San Francisco who you've all run into and befriended at some point during your lives, and that's where things will start.

Any questions, post 'em in the comments section. See most of you on Friday!

Eberron Character: Lysander d'Phiarlan

Name: Lysander Llyddellyn d'Phiarlan
Elf Bard 10 (Unaligned)
Build: Cunning Bard
Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Cunning
Background: Occupation - Entertainer (+2 to Bluff)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 10, Dex 18, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 10, Dex 14, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 16.

Init +9
Speed 6
Passive Insight 19
Passive Perception 21
Languages Common, Elven

AC: 24 Fort: 15 Reflex: 20 Will: 20
HP: 67 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 16

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +14, History +14, Acrobatics +13, Bluff +16, Diplomacy +14, Thievery +13

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Dungeoneering +9, Endurance +7, Heal +9, Insight +9, Intimidate +12, Nature +11, Perception +11, Religion +10, Stealth +11, Streetwise +12, Athletics +7

FEATS
Ritual Caster, Mark of Shadow, Sneak of Shadows, Arcane Initiate, Bardic Knowledge, Jack of All Trades, Combat Virtuoso

POWERS
At-Will: Vicious Mockery, Guiding Strike

Encounter: Magic Missile, Inspiring Refrain, Rhyme of the Blood-Seeking Blade, Deflect Attention

Daily: Verse of Triumph, Compulsion, Saga of Vengeance

Utility: Song of Courage, Synchronicity, Veil

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Gloves of Storing (heroic tier), Mithral Finemail +2, Lightning Scimitar +1, Doss Lute +2, Magic Longbow +3

RITUALS
Traveler's Chant, Wizard's Curtain

History: Lysander was born into House Phiarlan and had, for the house in question, and an elf reared in the city of Sharn, a fairly normal childhood. That is, until the war, and specifically, the tension within the old organization, cost the lives of both of his parents, presumably; the bodies were never recovered. An only child, his fate may have been difficult, but House Phiarlan takes care of its own and Lys found himself cared for and educated, if not as lovingly as in a family home, certainly as thoroughly.

When his dragonmark manifested, that care and education became an intense interest in the future of this young elf. He was given, somewhat reluctantly, to be the apprentice and student of Chiarlin the Heretic, a Bard and spy of some reknown. Chiarlin found his way into many circles of information, not just because of his entertainment qualities, but also because he constantly asked trouble-making questions in such grandstanding ways that people wanted to hear him and host him just to see what he would do next.

He ingrained in his apprentice his distrust of those who wish to control and anyone who claimed special authority from the Gods. His unorthodox view of Story not Song being the cornerstone of creation earned him few friends among the more mainstream Bards. (In fairness, Chiarlin taught that Song was part of Story.) He also claimed that the known Gods were too involved in the stories, as they were passed down, to be actual Storytellers. So the Elder Dragons must be the Storytellers, if they were not in fact characters themselves. Lys learned the discipline of thorough research and the art of telling the story with an emphasis on the points he needed highlights for either his employers or his audience, or both.

At the end of his training, Lys did some minor work for the House, before he was posted to Morgrave University to be part of an adventuring team. He has built good relations with the others in his team and begins to show promise as a gatherer of information.

Unlike even most Elves in the human world, Lys is driven by a fierce curiosity and an earnest desire for knowledge. He is also something of an adrenaline junkie, a dangerous descriptor for a barely-tested adventurer.

3.5 Stats:
Race: Elf
Class: Bard 7, Dragonmarked Heir 3
Experience: 45,406
Alignment: Neutral Good
Religion: Unknown
Homeland: Breland (Sharn)
Age: 137 Height: 5'5" Weight: 105 lbs.

Statistics: STR 12, DEX 18, CON 12, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 19 (16), BAB +3, Fort +5(+1), Ref +8 (+4), Will +8 (+2), Init +4 (+4), AC 22 (+1 buckler, +1 Mithral Shirt, +4 Dex), HP 60

Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +8, Climb +3, Concentration +5, Craft (Painting) +2, Decipher Script +5, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +5, Escape Artist +4, Forgery +2.5, Gather Information +8, Hide +10, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (Arcana) +3, Knowledge (Geography) +3, Knowledge (History) +7, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +3, Listen +4, Move Silently +10, Perform (Act) +10, Perform (Dance) +5, Perform (Oratory) +9, Perform (Sing) +14, Perform (String Instruments) +10, Search +4, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +5, Spellcraft +6, Spot +5, Tumble +11.

Action Dice: 8(11)

Spells: Spells Known (Brd 3/4/3/1): 0 -- Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Know Direction, Read Magic, Resistance; 1st -- Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Identify, Sleep; 2nd -- Eagle`s Splendor, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Hold Person; 3rd -- Allegro, Glibness;
Class Abilities: Inspire Courage +1 - Fascinate - Countersong - Inspire Competence-Suggestion-Bardic Knowledge +8, Additional Action Points, House Status, Improved Least Dragonmark (Mark of Shadow: Minor Image, Disguise Self), Lesser Dragonmark (Mark of Shadow: Shadow Conjuration)
Racial Abilities: +2 vs. Enchantment spells & effects, Immunity: Sleep Effects (Ex), Low-light vision (Ex)
Weapons/Attacks: +8 (1d6+2+1d6, +1 keen, shocking burst rapier), +78(1d8+1, Longsword +1), +7, +11 thrown(1d4, Dagger), +12(1d8, Longbow w/20 arrows)

Equipment:
Coin: 241 pp, 8 gp, 4sp; Musical instrument (5 gp); Entertainer`s outfit (3 gp); (2 sp); (2 gp); Bedroll (1 sp); Ink (vial) (8 gp); Parchment (sheet) (2) (4 sp); Paper (sheet) (4 sp); Backpack (2 gp); Signet ring (5 gp); Smokestick (2) (40 gp); Sunrod (2 gp). Magic: Wondrous: Hand of the Mage (900 gp);; Wondrous: Silversheen (250 gp); Wand: Darkness (4) (Charges: 7) (6,000 gp); Wand: Cure Light Wounds (1) (charges:37) (750 gp); Wondrous: Glove of Storing (10,000 gp); Wondrous: Cloak of Charisma +2 (4000 gp); Potions: Cure Moderate Wounds (400 gp), , Cat's Grace (4) (400 gp), Scroll: Major Image, Dispel Magic ; Wondrous: Hat of Disguise: +2 Ring of Protection; 13 =1 arrows: Amulet of Health
Feats: Least Dragonmark (Minor Image), Extra Music, Favored in House, lesser dragonmark, improved least dragonmark, improved lesser dragonmark, weapon finesse
Proficiencies: Simple Weapons, Shield, Light Armor
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic

William's 15th Birthday Present

For William d'Deneith's fifteenth birthday, his kindly Uncle Maresh commissioned a portrait of the boy. Being of the House of the Blademark, there was little doubt what the theme of the piece would be. Bedecked with crimson and gold, the family colors, and wielding his grandfather Gowan's storied blade, William stands triumphant on a battlefield, facing westward towards Cyre. The bodies of his foes litter the torn earth around his feet.

William was thrilled.

Click on the little version for the big version.

Eberron Characters

Y'all may have noticed that I have posted the Eberron characters that I have. I've found temporary pictures for everyone, and posted what I could remember of the histories that we discussed. Please feel free to edit the histories, change the picture, whatever, I was going on memory and may well have forgotten stuff. Especially feel free to add details, allies and enemies and other such things to your histories.

Eberron Character: William d'Deneith

Name: William Snow d'Deneith
10th level Human Fighter (Good-Aligned)
Build: Great Weapon Fighter
Fighter Talents: Two-handed Weapon Talent
Background: Society - Noble (+2 to Diplomacy)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 14, Dex 12, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 10.

Init +6
Speed 5
Passive Insight 16
Passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Giant

AC: 25 Fort: 26 Reflex: 20 Will: 20
HP: 90 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 23

TRAINED SKILLS
Endurance +11, Intimidate +10, Athletics +13, Streetwise +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Arcana +5, Bluff +5, Diplomacy +7, Dungeoneering +6, Heal +6, History +5, Insight +6, Nature +6, Perception +6, Religion +5, Stealth +4, Thievery +4

FEATS
Weapon Focus (Axe), Weapon Expertise (Axe), Weapon Proficiency (Execution axe), Armor Proficiency (Plate), Toughness, Power Attack, Potent Challenge

POWERS
At-Will: Brash Strike, Cleave, Reaping Strike

Encounter: Lunging Strike, Crushing Blow, Come and Get It

Daily: Brute Strike, Pinning Smash, Victorious Surge

Utility: Unstoppable, Agile Approach, Into the Fray

ITEMS
Reflexive Plate Armor +2, Righteous Execution axe +2, Amulet of Protection +3, Backpack (empty), Bedroll, Flint and Steel, Pouch, Belt (empty), Everburning Torch (2), Climber's Kit, Journeybreads (20), Rope, Silk (50 ft.), Waterskin, Iron Armbands of Power (heroic tier), Boots of Free Movement (heroic tier), Belt of Vigor (heroic tier)

History: William d'Deneith was born to be a Blademark. His Sentinel Dragonmark showed up in early adolescence, but even before then, he showed an affinity for martial combat and tactics, and his father, out on the fields of battle in Karrnath and Cyre, relished the letters from trainers and family who assured him that William had a great destiny within the family. William continued to train, anxious for the day when he would be sent to join his father and brother on the battlefield.

Then the destruction of Cyre came, and William's father and brother, along with thousands of other Deneith warriors, were gone. For the 16-year-old William, this was more reason to go out and pay back the Cyrans and everyone else in blood. But Sharri d'Deneith, William's mother, had already lost her husband and other son. She was unwilling to send her only remaining son, and for that matter the only dragonmarked youth in the family, into the meat grinder of the war. William burned with anger, but his duty to his house and family forced him to obey his mother's wishes. He was sent to live with his great uncle, Maresh d'Deneith, in the city of Sharn.

There, William continued his training, and found himself in a fairly cushy position as a weapons/combat trainer at Morgrave University, helping to train other future Blademarks. His uncle was sympathetic to William's desire for adventure and combat, and thus turned a blind eye when William began seeking out first fights and then more wide-ranging adventures, occasionally leaving assistants to do his teaching so he could seek out something more exciting in the field.

William's spirit of adventure got the attention of those at Morgrave University, and he was offered a position within one of Morgrave's many adventuring bands, a position that he jumped at. The five adventurers developed bonds of friendship and trust over the course of several adventures, all within the city of Sharn at first, but then out into Darguun, the Mournland and Zilargo. They called themselves the Wandering Wolves, and William adopted the identity of "Wolf" to hide his exploits from his mother.

While pursuing a vampire named Lucan on behalf of the King's Dark Lanterns, William met his demise. The vampire had boarded an airship called the Cloud's Destiny, and had dominated some gnomish warriors to guard his pursuit on the docking tower. The Wolves attacked the gnomes, and William rushed past the battered guards to try and catch the departing airship. One of the gnomes, in a desperation move, tried to push William off the 80-foot tower and, thanks to William losing his footing, he succeeded. William tried to catch the other docking berths on the way down but was unsuccessful, and along with some wounds he had received in battle with Lucan earlier, the fall was enough to kill him. The Wolves, in a hurry to catch Lucan, couldn't even pause to recover the body of their fallen comrade, trusting in the power of his House to recover it when news of his demise got out.

Unfortunately, William's body was recovered not by House Deneith, but by the Emerald Claw. Their leadership decided to resurrect him as a vampire to use against his friends, and William sought revenge on the Wolves, first with the Emerald Claw and then, after a truce was arranged between the Emerald Claw and the Wolves on behalf of the Tyrants, on his own. His pursuit took him to Xen'drik, and it was there that the Wolves used ancient, powerful magic to restore William back to life. His dragonmark was nullified by his death, undeath and rebirth, left only a regular, non-magical tattoo, and his memories of his time as a member of the undead are mercifully hazy, and he has rejoined the Wandering Wolves once more.

3.5 Stats:
Race: Dragonmarked Human (Sentinel)
Class: Fighter 4
Experience: 7666
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Religion: Uncertain
Homeland: Karrnath
Age: 20 Height: 6'2" Weight: 190 lbs.

Statistics: STR 17, DEX 15, CON 16, INT 14, WIS 15, CHA 12, BAB +4, Fort +4 (+7), Ref +1 (+3), Will +1 (+3), Init +2 (+2), AC 19 (+8 armor, +1 Dex), HP 43

Skills: Climb +7 (+4), Intimidate +7 (+8), Jump +7 (+4), Ride +7 (+9), Swim +7 (+2)

Weapons/Attacks: +9 (2d6+5, Greatsword +1), +7 (1d4+3, Dagger), +7 (1d4+3, Spiked Gauntlets), +7 (1d8+3, Masterwork Heavy Mace), +6 (1d6, Light Crossbow w/50 Bolts)

Equipment:

(1) Alchemist's Fire, (1) Antitoxin, Backpack, Blue enamel masterwork Chain Shirt (in Haversack), Full plate armor, +1 Large Steel Shield (generally not in use), Magebred Light Riding Horse, (1) Oil of Magic Weapon, (1) Potion of Bull's Strength, (1) Potion of Lesser Restoration, (1) Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Signet ring (Wandering Wolves), 104 GP

Feats: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Least Dragonmark (Shield of Faith), Power Attack, Powerful Charge, Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
Proficiencies: All Simple & Martial Weapons, All Armor & Shields
Languages: Common

Eberron Character: Tock

Name: Tock
Race: Warforged
Class: Artificer 7/Fighter 1
Experience: 32,000
Alignment: Neutral
Religion: None
Homeland: Cyre, Displaced
Age: 14 Height: 6'0" Weight: 315 lbs.

Statistics: STR 11, DEX 14, CON 12, INT 17, WIS 11, CHA 15, BAB +5, Fort +4 (+5), Ref +2 (+4), Will +5 (+5), Init +2 (+2), AC 19 (+8 armor, +1 Dex), HP 38

Skills: Concentration +6 (+6), Craft (Warforged) +8 (+11), Craft (Alchemy) +10 (+13), Craft (Weaponsmithing) +8 (+10), Disable Device +8 (+11), Knowledge (Arcana) +10 (+13), Open Lock +1 (+3), Ride +2 (+4), Spellcraft +10 (+17), Use Magic Device +12 (+16)

Infusions: 1 - 4/day (Ablative Armor, Armor Enhancement, Lesser, Energy Alteration, Enhancement Alteration, Identify, Indisputable Possession, Inflict Light Damage, Light, Magic Stone, Magic Vestment, Magic Weapon, Metamagic Scroll, Pending Potion, Repair Light Damage, Resistance item, Shield of Faith, Skill Enhancement, Spell Storing item, Weapon Augmentation, personal), 2 - 4/day (Armor Enhancement, Align Weapon, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Chill Metal, Eagle's Splendor, Elemental Prod, Fox's Cunning, Heat Metal, Inflict Moderate Damage, Lucky Blade, Owl's Wisdom, Reinforce Construct, Repair Moderate Damage, Suppress Dragonmark, Toughen Construct, Weapon Augmentation, Lesser), 3 - 3/day (Adamantine Weapon, Armor Enhancement, Greater, Blast Rod, Construct Energy Ward, Inflict Serious Damage, Lucky Cape, Magic Weapon, Greater, Metamagic Item, Power Surge, Repair Serious Damage, Spell Snare, Stone Construct, Suppress Requirement)

Class Abilities: Artificer Knowledge, Artisan Bonus, Craft Homunculus, Craft Wand, Disable Trap, Item Creation, Metamagic Spell Trigger, Retain Essence
Racial Abilities: Living Construct (Ex), Composite Plating, Light Fortification (Ex), Natural Weapon
Weapons/Attacks: +7 (1d10+1, Armblade), +7 (1d8+1, Heavy Mace +1), +6 (1d4, Slam), +8 (1d8, Light Crossbow w/80 Bolts)

Equipment:

Cloak of Resistance +2, Essence of the Scout, Magebred Light Riding Horse, (1) Potion of Resist Energy (Fire) (10), Signet ring (Wandering Wolves), (15) Sling Bullets, Wand of Magic Missiles (8 charges), Wand of Magic Missiles (13 charges), Warforged Repair Kit, 154 GP, 20 CP

Feats: Adamantine Body, Scribe Scroll, Brew Potion, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, Exceptional Artisan, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Arm Blade), Extraordinary Artisan, Legendary Artisan, Magical Aptitude
Proficiencies: All Simple and Martial Weapons, All Armor and Shields
Languages: Common

History: Tock is a late-model warforged, created by House Cannith in Cyre just under 20 years after the process had been perfected. He was created with battle in mind, and trained to provide battlefield repairs and magical support to a warforged unit. He was put into the field of battle in Karrnath, helping to support Cyre troops in many bloody conflicts. 10 years after Tock was created, Cyre was destroyed, turned into the Mournland. Already Tock was having doubts about the constant battles that had become his life, and the destruction of what he had been fighting for didn't help. Still, he didn't desert, but remained as a battlefield medic until two years later, when the Thronehold Treaty both ended the war and gave Tock his freedom.

Tock immediately set out for Sharn, as he felt that would be the best place to learn more of the magecrafting that he had only a rudimentary understanding of at that point. He found a master artificer, Jhornan Goath, in the employ of Morgrave University, and came on as an apprentice and teaching aide. In exchange for his considerable talents, Goath trained Tock in more aspects of being an artificer, helping to round his training out beyond the combat-specific uses it had been put to.

With his skills growing, Tock sought more field research and exotic magic, and to that end, Goath put in a good word for him with those setting up expeditions to Xen'drik. Tock joined a band of adventurers to become one of Morgrave's many adventuring bands. The five adventurers developed bonds of friendship and eventually became known as The Wandering Wolves, an adventuring band joined with the Clifftop Adventurers' Guild.

Soon after their adventures began, the Wolves covertly opened a shop named Gareth's Gear, and Tock began serving as in-house artificer when he wasn't out adventuring. Then, on an adventure in Trolanport, William d'Deneith, the party's most powerful member, was killed. This shocked Tock into a bit of an awareness, realizing that he was probably not that suited for adventuring, and besides, he enjoyed lab work more anyway. He became the first member of the Wandering Wolves to retire from active adventuring, and now he serves as the full-time artificer for Gareth's Gear, where his skills have grown by leaps and bounds.

Eberron Character: Pel

Name: Pel
Changeling Rogue 10 (Unaligned)
Rogue Tactics: Brutal Scoundrel
Background: Sharn (+2 to Insight)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 14, Con 10, Dex 18, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 17.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 10, Dex 16, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 13.

AC: 24 Fort: 19 Reflex: 23 Will: 21
HP: 67 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 16

Init +9
Speed 6
Passive Insight 26
Passive Perception 22
Languages Common, Giant

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +16, Thievery +15, Streetwise +13, Perception +12, Bluff +16, Insight +16, Religion +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +9, Arcana +5, Diplomacy +9, Dungeoneering +7, Endurance +5, Heal +7, History +5, Intimidate +8, Nature +7, Athletics +7

FEATS
Backstabber, Initiate of the Faith, Novice Power, Weapon Proficiency (Rapier), Acolyte Power, Adept Power

POWERS
At-Will: Riposte Strike, Sly Flourish

Encounter: Sly Lunge, Daunting Light, Circling Predator

Daily: Easy Target, Deep Cut, Swift Strike

Utility: Master of Deceit, Bastion of Health, Shadow Stride

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Bones of the Traveler +2, Dynamic Rapier +3, Summoned Leather Armor +3, Crossbow, Crossbow Bolts (40), Burglar's Gloves (heroic tier), Boots of Stealth (heroic tier), Amulet of Protection +2, Thieves' Tools, Rope, Silk (50 ft.), Grappling Hook (2), Sanctified Incense (Religion), Bracers of Mighty Striking (heroic tier), Gem of Colloquy (heroic tier), Potion of Healing (heroic tier) (2), Elixir of Aptitude (heroic tier), Potion of Vigor (heroic tier), Backpack (empty), Everburning Torch, Fine Clothing

History: Pel was born in Sharn, City of Towers. He never knew his mother, who left at an early age, and grew up under the tutelage of his father, Vadis, who was a member of the Tyrants, a mysterious guild of shapeshifters who control the bordellos and the flow of information in Sharn. From as early as he could walk, Pel was learning to stick to the shadows, remain unobtrusive and decipher what information was worth remembering, and what could be cast aside. He rose fairly quickly within the ranks of the organization, which seemed a boon, but would soon prove to be a problem as well.

Cord Lanner, a 5th-level rogue and one of the few humans on the Inner Circle of the Tyrants, found himself in a dispute with Vadis over information brokering and the running of certain bordellos. Pel found himself in the middle of these two warring factions, and when an agent of Cord came to him and asked if he'd be willing to murder his father to become one of Cord's lieutenants, Pel agreed. Then he double-crossed Cord and brought the information about the assassination plot to the Inner Circle, which found Cord's actions disruptive and forced him into a truce with Vadis. Vadis became a lieutenant to Cord, and Pel had earned a powerful enemy. Vadis gave his son a new identity and sent him to work at Morgrave University as a researcher.

Pel's information-gathering abilities served him well, and he became a valued addition to Morgrave's library. He also passed worthwhile information on to his father secretly. About six months ago, he joined with several other adventurers to become one of Morgrave's many adventuring bands. The five adventurers developed bonds of friendship and trust over the course of several adventures, all within the city of Sharn, and they all look forward to the day when their bosses at Morgrave will send them on a more worldly adventure, perhaps even one into the lost continent of Xen'drik itself.

A near-death experience on the road to Trolanport put Pel in touch with his god, the Traveler, and led him to take up the calling. He has begun studying the ways of the Traveler's priests, and has been granted some divine spell abilities as a result.

Pel had an even nearer brush with death at the hands of Xulo, the malevolent creation pattern, in the heart of Xen'drik. A 30 foot tall primitive warforged crushed him to death with its fists during combat. Pel was restored to life by a priest of The Keeper, thanks to a deal made by his friend Lysander.

3.5 Stats:

Race: Changeling
Class: Rogue 5/Cleric 5
Experience: 45478
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Religion: Traveler (of Dark Six)
Homeland: Breland (Sharn)
Age: 20 Height: 5'9" (varies) Weight: 150 (also varies)

Statistics: STR 10, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 18, WIS 14, CHA 16, BAB +7, Fort +5 (+7), Ref +5 (+7/8), Will +5 (+7), Init +2 (+2), AC 21 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +1 amulet, +2 ring of protection), HP 73

Skills: Appraise +1 (+5), Bluff +5 (+10), Concentration +2 (+5), Craft (Trapmaking) +5 (+13), Decipher Script +5 (+8), Diplomacy +5, +2ss (+10), Disable Device +7 (+15), Disguise +1 (+15), Escape Artist +1 (+3), Forgery +1 (+5), Gather Information +7/+2ss (+12), Heal +1 (+3), Hide +7/+6 (+15), Intimidate +1 (+8), Knowledge (Books) +1 (+5), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +1 (+5), Knowledge (History) +2 (+6), Knowledge (Local) +6 (+11), Knowledge (Myths & Legends) +1 (+5), Knowledge (Religion) +6 (+10), Knowledge (Underworld) +1 (+5), Listen +3 (+5), Move Silently +8 (+10), Open Lock +5 (+11), Perform (Actor) +1 (+4), Profession (Researcher) +2 (+4), Search +6 (+10), Sense Motive +4 (+8), Slieght of Hand +1 (+5), Spellcraft +5 (+11/+13 decypher scroll), Spot +3 (+5), Tumble +1 (+3), Use Magic Device +11 (+16/+20 w/scrolls)

Spells: 0 - 5/day (Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Guidance, Inflict Minor Wounds, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic, Resistance, Virtue); 1 - 4+1 domain/day (Bane, Bless, Bless Water, Cause Fear, Command, Comprehend Languages, Curse Water, Deathwatch, Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Detect Dragonmark, Detect Undead, Divine Favor, Doom, Endure Elements, Entropic Shield, Hide from Undead, Inflict Light Wounds, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Obscuring Mist, Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith, Summon Monster I; 2nd - 3+1 domain/day, I'll be damned if I'm typing in every 2nd level spell. 3rd - 1+1 domain/day. Animate Rope (domain), Longstrider (domain), Woodshape/Locate Object (domain), Fly/Stoneshape (domain).
Class Abilities: 3d6 Sneak Attack, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trapsense +1, Uncanny Dodge, Turn Undead 6/day, turn check +5, turn dmg 2d6+8 , Domains (Artifice: +4 on Craft check, creation spells at +1 caster level, Travel: Freedom of Movement 1/day x Cleric lvl)
Racial Abilities: +2 vs. sleep/charm effects, +2 on Bluff, Intimidate & Senese Motive, Natural Linguist, Minor Change Shape (Su)
Weapons/Attacks: +7 (1d6+2, +2 Scimitar), +3 (1d6, Masterwork Rapier), +2 (1d6, Shortsword), +8 (1d8, Light Crossbow w/20 bolts)

Equipment:

+2 glamored studded leather armor, Hat of Anonymity +5 hide & continuous non-detection, Pearl of power +1, Devastation gloves, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Ring of Protection +2, Ring of Invisibility, (1) Antitoxin, Cleric's Vestments (gold inlaid), Shiftweave outfit, Clothes (Traveler's Outfit, Peasant's Outfit, Courtier's Outfit), Darkweave Cloak (+1 Hide), Ink (vial), Masterwork Thieves Tools, Mirror, (1) Parchment, Pen, Magebred Light Riding Horse, Map case, (2) Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, (2) Potion of Cure Light Wounds, Scholar's Outfit, 10 silver bolts, 14 +1 Adamantine Bolts, 7 +2 bolts, 3 doses Dreamlily, 50' silk rope, Signet ring (Wandering Wolves), 2 Featherfall Talismans, Goggles of Night, 7th lvl Wand of Magic Missiles 4d4+4 (35 charges), Wand of scorching ray 4d6 (12 charges), +2 keen scimitar, Eternal Wand of cure moderate wounds, Potion of displacement, Potion of owl's wisdom, potion of cat's grace, thunderstones,

Infinite Scroll Case contains the following: Scrolls (1 - Charm Animal, 1 - Hide From Undead, 2 - Restoration, 1 - Nuetralise Poison, 1 - Remove Disease, 2 - lesser Restoration, 2 - Dispel Magic, 1- Invisibility purge, 1 - resurgence, 1 - searing light, 0 - stoneskin, 1 - flamestrike, 1 - Tenser's Floating Disk, 1 - truestrike, 1 - detect thouhts, 1 - Spider Climb, 0 - web, 2 - comprehend languages, 0 - keen edge) 5473gp, 1532gp Letter of Credit, pouch of gems worth 2500gp,

Feats: Education, Magical Aptitude, Nimble Fingers
Proficiencies: Simple, Scimitar, Hand Crossbow, Rapier, Sap, Shortbow, Short Swords, All Armor and Shields
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Orc, Goblin

Game Off, Then On

Gaming is off for the next two weeks. Nate is having birthday festivities, and then we'll be having STAPLE!

I suggest we plan on gaming on March 10, and if someone turns out to be unavailable (it seems like someone might have been possibly unavailable) I can run a one-shot Feng Shui game or something along those lines.

Paul is the newest member of the blog and the game group, and will be joining us on the Eberron campaign. He's back in town on March 17, but I figure it might be more along the lines of March 24 or the week after when we start Eberron, depending on when we get to a good stopping point on the Realms.

Game on

So update your RSVP in the template.

This week: thrills! Chills! Spills! Dills! (Pickles, that is.)

Game Off

No game this Friday Feb. 10th; Nate is out, and I am out. I have a client presentation the following morning that I have to develop a Flash application for.

Realms resumes on the 17th.

Edited to add: However, Randy will be having folks over to watch the final two hours of Arrested Development at 7:30 PM at his place. If you're interested in coming, feel free, and email if you need directions!

The point

of the previous post was to ping Randy's RSS counter so that he would come to the site and update the template to tell me if he's coming to the game tonight or not.

Coincidentally, that is also the point of this post.

And so

We game on Friday. Woot.

William d'Deneith

...will be of the "House Scion" archetype from the Player's Guide to Eberron. Which officially makes him Better Than You.

Player's Guide to Eberron

The Player's Guide to Eberron is out today, and from a casual glance, it looks really good. After a brief chapter on Eberron character archetypes, it goes to an alphabetical listing of everything in the world, from organizations to continents, in a sort of "encyclopedia" style format, with no GM-only information. It's a great way to get a flavor of the world, and the alphabetical organization makes it easy to find whatever you're looking for.

Eberron: Maps of Sharn, City of Towers

Here are a couple of maps to Sharn, the city where your characters are based and the biggest metropolis in Eberron. Sharn is a city that is built both horizontally and vertically, divided into wards (Upper, Middle, Lower, etc.) and then further into districts on each vertical ward. Generally speaking, the lower the ward, the lower the living conditions, until you get into the industrial "cogs" that provide the utilities that keeps the city running in many respects. Y'all work at Morgrave University on the Upper Ward, and may live either up there or more cheaply in a Lower Ward that is vertically separate but horizontally equal to Morgrave, giving you cheaper housing and a shorter commute.

Don't worry too much if any of that (or this) doesn't make any sense to you. Just a couple maps to give you a visual indicator of Eberron. Side view first, overhead view second.

Sign Up

Next week's game is scheduled. Edit the page template to sign up (move your name from Unknown to In).

For Blogger newbies: click the Blogger icon at top left, sign in if necessary, click "Template" tag. Scroll down to the section for signups (delimited by long lines of # symbols) and change the text. Save and republish.

Cheers!
Ben

A Few Eberron Character Tidbits

For Ben:
1. Karrnath suffered quite a bit during the war. They used undead troops to bolster their forces, and continue to rely on the undead in their armies. Rumors insist that the Blood of Vol have a toehold in the government. The government itself is a strict military dictatorship that has the country in martial law. Every citizen serves a term in the military, and every citizen practices with the local militia. Battles between Karrnath and Cyre were especially bloody, and mostly took placeon Karrnath soil. This makes it seem extremely likely that you and Nate were on the opposite sides of a battle, and that he might have been in Karrnath when Cyre became the Mournland. Or, if you guys feel like that's too much of a potential strain on PC's relationship, he was somewhere else. Either way, you'll probably both harbor a little resentment, as your nations were bitter enemies. However, Thronehold, the city where the Last War treaty was negotiated, is in Karrnath, and King Kaius III was one of the first to press for peace.

2. Perhaps it was unease with the undead units that led you to leave Karrnath and seek your fortunes elsewhere. Perhaps you were just tired of being ordered around and wanted a taste of freelance military life beyond being part of a mercenary unit. Whatever the case, your travels lead you to Morgrave University, where they could use veterans to teach basic combat, tactics and recent military history as well as providing muscle on frequent expeditions, both for educational purposes and for recovering artifacts from around the world, including the lost continent of Xen'drik.

5 Things Every Karrn Knows: 1. How to play a chesslike boardgame called Conqueror. 2. Their own family tree going back at least four generations. 3. A bit about military organization. 4. An appreciation for art, spurred by the propaganda posters produced by artisans during the war. 5. A keen sense of the weather, even if only being good at answering the question "How hot was it yesterday?" in Cliff Clavin-like detail.

For Nate:
1. Before the war, Cyre was known as a place that was on the artistic and cultural cutting edge of Galifar. Think of it as Paris or Milan in terms of setting trends in art, fashion, etc. However, during the war, the nobles began to take this avant-garde lifestyle in a direction that was more decadent and immoral, even as the common people struggled to hold onto their values in the face of a conflict that they were deeply involved in. Your character might have an artistic bent as a result of living amongst Cyrans.

2. After the war ended, perhaps your desire to study and work on less war-heavy aspects of artificing led you to Morgrave University, which is rough and tumble enough to employ a veteran warforged in its magical studies department without blinking an eye. Probably you are an assistant professor to a higher-ranking artificer who continues to teach you lessons about artificing and magic as well.

5 Things Every Cyran Knows: 1. Where they were on the Day of Mourning - "Tomorrow in Cyre" has become an expression of hope, a reflection of sadness and a promise to win back what was lost. 2. Some form of artistic expression. 3. The Cyran appreciation, which promotes the appreciation of beauty and magic in avant-garde and unconventional ways. 4. What happened on the day of Mourning. Every Cyran has a different version, but everyone believes they know what happened to Cyre on that day. As a less emotional warforged, your character might be exempt from this one. 5. How to perform a Cyran tago, a frenetic and beautiful dance. Again, as a warforged, your character probably does not know this one.

For Chris:
1. If you want, you can take a Regional Education benefit. Educated in Breland gives you a +1 bonus on Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) and Profession checks and a -1 penalty on Concentration and Knowledge (Religion). Educated at Morgrave gives you a +1 on Decipher Script and Knowledge (Geography), a -1 on Diplomacy and Knowledge (religion), one lesser underworld contact in Sharn and 25 less gold. Educated in Sharn gives you a +1 on climb and knowledge (the planes) and a -1 on Handle Animal and Knowledge (geography). Or you can go with a general street education and skip all of this.

2. Breland is probably the most prosperous nation in Sharn, and it has the makings of a diplomacy in its Brelish Parliament, even though it also still answers to a king. Think of it as England at the height of its empire.

3. The battle within The Tyrants (your guild) came down to Cord Lanner, a long-standing human in the guild who runs a profitable information brokerage and Ree, a changeling upstart who started up her own information/blackmail business. You had to back one of them when they came into conflict. Tell me which one it was and I'll work up more specifics. When you chose sides, your backer got you into Morgrave University at the library by forgiving a gambling debt owed by one of the librarians. My suggestion would be that this librarian (and the other PCs) are the only ones who know your true nature, and that everyone else knows you as a human library/research assistant with a false name and identity.

5 Things Every Brelish Knows: 1. The Galifar Code of Justice, which breaks down mostly to the right to defend yourself, the right to confront your accuser and the right to open debate. 2. That different is just different, which means that the Brelish tend to be tolerant of different races, faiths, cultures, etc. 3. Something about the weather. 4. The virtues of democracy. 5. The wisdom of Beggar Dane, an anonymous street bard whose columsn in The Sharn Inquisitive sound suspiciously like D&D versions of the Poor Richard's Almanac by Ben Franklin.

For Jason:
1. We now have in the party a Changeling Rogue, a Human Dragonmarked Fighter and a Warforged Artificer. There's room for just about anything, but you might consider a Sorcerer, Wizard, Bard or Cleric if you want to add a dimension of support the group doesn't have, or another fighter/barbarian/ranger type if you want to add muscle. You guys are without a healer, but with the halflings of House Jorrasco in every major city in Eberron, that's less of an issue than it might be in other campaigns. You're also without a powerhouse mage, but with an artificer and a dragonmarked fighter in your ranks, you'll be pretty handy with magically-assisted combat. So basically, feel free to explore whatever options you want. I'd suggest, in order to keep things sort of uniquely Eberron, playing a Shifter or someone with a dragonmark, but certainly with the regional flavor you can probably play just about anything.

2. The decision was made that you all will be working for Morgrave University, a somewhat less than reputable university in Sharn, City of Towers. Each of you will have a "day job" as a teacher or something along those lines, but you will also be doing freelance adventuring and adventuring on behalf of the University.

Eberron: Religion and Warforged

"Just as most warforged are not inclined to align themselves with any particular moral or ethical philosophy, few show much interest in religion. Some warforged have found a kind of answer to the questions of their existence by taking up the cause of one religion or another, but these remain a small (if rather vocal) minority among their kind. A larger number gravitate to a messianic figure called the Lord of Blades. This powerful leader gathers a cultlike following of disaffected warforged by preaching a return to the Mournland and rebellion against the "weak-fleshed" races."

Chris, not sure that your warforged Cleric will work without some modification. The closest thing to the fanatical version you described would be a follower of the Lord of Blades, but that's not really player character territory. The other deities in Eberron are the Church of the Silver Flame (fanatical LG who worship a sentient flame that is part demon, part angel and part prophet merged into one), The Sovereign Host (a pantheon of 9 gods who are generally worshipped as a pantheon by clerics), The Dark Six (the evil flipside of The Sovereign Host), The Blood of Vol (a somewhat sinister cult that believes in the power of blood, and is generally considered to be potentially wicked, if not outright evil), The Cults of the Dragon Below (essentially worshipping the powers of Hell), The Path of Light (a monk-like discipline based in the psionic-heavy lands of The Inspired) and The Undying Court (the positive-energy charged undead of the elven lands, essentially elven ancestor worship).

You can also potentially draw spells simply from the spirital remnants of the Dragon Above (heaven, essentially), which means you aren't aligned with any particular god or pantheon.

On the other hand, if you wanted to pursue your master inquisitive, you might consider starting as a changeling rogue or you might consider playing a human with a dragonmark, as master inquisitives often come from the half-elven House Medani or the humans and half-orcs of House Tharashk. This would require spending a feat to be dragon-marked (and probably more feats later to make it more powerful), but would give you a built-in spell-like ability, such as Identify, Know Direction, Locate Object, Detect Magic or Detect Poison somewhere between once or twice a day.

Eberron Primer - Official Site

The Wizards of the Coast site has a variety of interesting information on Eberron on this page, including an Overview, Organizations, The World, an Across Eberron Introductory Brochure and, perhaps most useful, an Interactive Map of Eberron.

Eberron Part One - General Overview:

Here is the first in my series of "boiled down" Eberron for players' eyes. I'll hit what I think are the crucial elements of the Eberron setting.

Some movies that inspired the "Eberron mood":
Brotherhood of the Wolf, Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean, Raiders of the Lost Ark

The tone:
Eberron combines traditional medieval fantasy with pulp action and dark adventure. A devastating war (The Last War) took over the world for the last 100 years (it has been two years since a treaty ended it) and magic is built into the fabric of the society. Cities exist which feature buildings tall as modern skyscrapers, an aristocracy of "Dragonmarked" merchant families control much of the world's economy, elemental-bound airships and magically powered "lightning rails" (think magic trains) provide mobility across the world for a great majority of the citizenry, not just the lucky adventurers with teleport and flight spells.

Ten Things You Need to Know:
This comes straight out of the book, but I've truncated the descriptions. If you want to read the full list (and I recommend it), it's on page 8-9 of Eberron, and I'll bring the book with me to gaming from now on.

1. If it exists in D&D, it exists in Eberron - In short, beholders, +1 swords, etc. are all present
   
2. Tone and attitude - Alignments are relative, there are limited "action points" (like Spycraft, but different) to accomplish dramatic or cinematic scenes even if the dice don't always roll your way
   
3. A world of magic - There's a working class of mages, as well as the Dragonmarked houses, that provides any number of magical conveniences to everyone
   
4. A world of adventure - Magical transport means your adventures will be far-reaching and mobile, and there is a vast array of locations, from the war-blasted Mournland to the jungle continent of Xen'drik with its fallen giant civilization.
   
5. The Last War has ended - sort of - There is a two-year peace as the campaign begins, but there are still old feuds and pain from one hundred years of war affecting people from the commoner to those in power
   
6. The Five Nations - Galifar, the kingdom that shattered when the Last War began, was made up of Five Nations: Aundair, Breland, Cyre, Karrnath and Thrane. Four of them survive as independent countries; Cyre was destroyed in the closing days of the Last War, and is now known as the Mournland. The campaign will be based in the city of Sharn, which is in the nation of Breland.
   
7. A world of intrigue - Eberron has a great need for adventurers, espionage and sabotage. The dragonmarked houses, churches both pure and corrupt, crime lords, monster gangs, secret societies, dragons, etc. all jockey for power in the post-war society.
   
8. Dragonmark dynasties - There are 13 Dragonmarked Houses that represent the majority of business interests in Eberron. The family members don't all manifest Dragonmarks, but those that do gain special magic powers that help them with the chosen vocation of the houses. The houses are: House Cannith (Architects of magic and steel, original builders of the Warforged), House Deneith (Bodyguards and mercenaries), House Ghallanda (Magically enhanced halfling innkeepers and chefs), House Jorasco (Halfling healers), House Kundarak (Dwarven bankers, offering bills of exchange instead of bulky coins to carry around), House Lyrandar (Half-elf weather manipulators, helpful to farmers and sailors), House Medani (Half-elven bodyguards, inquisitives, scouts and sentries), House Orien (Couriers and transportation, responsible for the lightning rail and elemental airship routes), House Phiarlan (Elven artists and entertainers with illusion and divination magic), House Sivis (Gnomish translators, notaries and scribes), House Tharasik (Human/half-orc prospectors, inquisitives and bounty hunters), House Thuranni (A split faction from House Phiarlan, slightly more shady and aggressive in the way they provide services), House Vadalis (Producers of fine magebred animals, animal trainers and teamsters of renowkn)
   
9. Dragonshards - The creation myth divides Eberron into three parts, each tied to a dragon of legend: Siberys (The sky and stars), Khyber (The underdark and abyss) and Eberron (the world itself). Each section produces stones and crystals imbued with arcane power known as dragonshards. These dragonshards enhance dragonmarks, allow the binding of elementals and can be used in the construction of various magic items. They are rare and difficult to come by, and are often the subject of quests, especially in the lost continent of Xen'drik.
   
10. New races - In addition to the standard campaign, there are three new playable races: Changelings (half-doppleganger), Shifters (half-lyncanthrope) and warforged (sentient constructs forged during the Last War).
    

Realms: In The Beginning

In our inaugural adventure in the young Realms:

A series of brutal, gory murders terrorizes a small village in Halruaa, and our heroes investigate. Finding tracks leading from the most recent kill westward, they pursue the killer deep into the Akhkaur Swamp, and into an ambush! Native bullywugs, led by a pair of sinister and deadly yuan-ti halfbloods, surround the party. During the fight, Martin catches some of the yuan-ti speech, and learns that they have been ordered to capture the party if possible. Our heroes narrowly prevail, slaying one yuan-ti, and the other flees.

Now hot on the trail of this second yuan-ti, the party comes at length to a twisted, foul part of the swamp. The yuan-ti's trail leads directly into an underwater tunnel. Warned off by an acrid odor, the slowly decaying bodies of three bullywugs in a nearby pond, and a complete lack of other life in the area, they retreat, deciding to find the bullywug camp and glean what information they can there.

Locating the camp and capturing a guard pose little difficulty for the experienced rangers, and soon the party has a guide. Their prisoner leads them across the marshes into deeper water, and finally to a dock pointing into the River Ghalagar, which cuts across the center of the Akhkaur. There they found a yuan-ti slaver galleon, apparently deserted. Boarding, our heroes find signs of recent occupation, several slave cages, lodging for several yuan-ti (including a dread Abomination), and captain's quarters.

And in one of the cages, bound and dehydrated, they find a captured human. A mage of some kind, from the looks of him. With a certain light in his eyes, usually reserved for Player Characters...