April 27 recap

Our story begins, as many D&D games do, in a tavern. Professor Burch, a gnome scholar of quori and the plane of Dal Quor at Morgrave University in Sharn, has sent missives to each member of the party saying he has lucrative work for them that will require their precise skills. They all meet at the Gilded Griffon, a tavern in Port Verge, a rough-and-tumble harbor town on the island of Questor in the Lhazaar Principalities. The party consists of Alyosha Guran, a portly human warlock who had been a noble and art dealer in Cyre before the Mourning; Amahndar Kashkin, a kalashtar paladin of the Silver Flame who is mostly unaware of his true heritage; Laharal, a strange shardmind possessing strong telepathic power; Mevakri, a kalashtar ardent who has been working as a merchant in the Lhazaar Principalities while on the run from the Inspired; and Mika, a human thief from Sharn who is very intimidating with her mace and shuriken.

Professor Burch explains that he is pursuing an artifact called the Siberys Pandect, a large dragonshard that contains ancient knowledge of a war between the giants and the quori 40,000 years ago. [I originally said 4,000 in the game; forgot a 0.] As a scholar of Dal Quor, he thinks the Pandect would contain knowledge long thought lost: histories, weapons, spells, who knows what else. He explains that he and his kalashtar servant, Nevitash, found that the Pandect was taken from the giant ruins on Xen'drik about 10 years ago by an explorer named Breyten. Breyten became extremely paranoid about the Pandect falling into the wrong hands, and he hid it. When Breyten met Burch and Nevitash, he recognized Nevitash as a kalashtar and told them he'd written down in his journal (also hidden) where he hid the Pandect, and died shortly thereafter. Burch paid House Tharaskh for a spell to locate the journal, which reveals it was hidden in Port Verge. Burch sent Nevitash to retrieve it, but he hasn't been heard from in a week. (Burch also explains that he had Nevitash do the legwork on hiring all the party members, hence how he knew that Mekavri was a kalashtar despite her persistent attempts to hide herself.)

Burch offers to pay the party 50 gold apiece per day, plus room and board, to keep them on retainer and help him find the Pandect. Amahndar senses that Burch is on the level, so each member of the party agrees (although Mika is weirded out by the telepathic powers of half the party), and Meva begins asking around Port Verge to find if anybody has seen Nevitash. A few report having seen him a week ago hanging around a tavern and the marketplace about a week ago, but not since then. He never returned to his inn room about 5-6 days ago. At the same time, Mika decides to get a pet and seeks out a dog merchant. She finds an orc who is selling the dogs as food; patiently, she waits until he shuts down for the night and hauls his crated dogs into storage, then takes one for herself. Meanwhile, Amahndar meditates on the Silver Flame, while Laharal, attracting some odd looks, goes to a bookseller and buys books on Khorvaire history and an account of the Last War. Alyosha, unsurprisingly, orders a large meal for himself, especially as he's now on Burch's tab.

The next day (50 gp richer apiece, and having spent the night at a House Ghallanda hotel), they begin investigating in earnest. Nevitash was last seen at the Tavern of Good Hope, so they go there first, but it's still early in the day and there's not really anybody there. After some sitting around, the owner, a well-dressed halfling woman, approaches them and asks if they need anything. The owner directs them to an auction house down the street — Nevitash went down there one night and bought something from them, then was seen the same night drinking it up with some of the human guards from that business. One of them, Saal, has been back a few times, but no Nevitash.

On the way down to the auction house, a passing merchant offers to buy Laharal, a "strange crystal golem," from Alyosha, but decides against it when Laharal proves too "disobedient" to Alyosha's orders.

The party goes down to the auction house, where a small crowd is perusing the merchandise and a few humans stand guard. The auctioneer, a human on stage, denies having seen Nevitash, but tries to sell Meva an amulet that he guarantees will help find him. Laharal senses that the amulet isn't nearly as powerful as the auctioneer is claiming and advises her not to buy it. Amahndar senses that the auctioneer isn't telling the truth — and is, in fact, a changeling, not a human.

Mika grows impatient, draws her shuriken, and threatens the auctioneer as Amahndar tries to sweet-talk a deal. The auctioneer calls for guards, and a melee breaks out. The guards bash Mika a bit with their maces, but Meva and Amahndar help her recover. Alyosha quietly tries to grab some loot and make his escape, before they attract the wrong kind of attention. Finally, after most of the guards are knocked unconscious, Mika grabs the auctioneer and holds a shuriken to his neck, forcing a surrender.

The auctioneer admits that he's a changeling named Kif, and the auction house is a scam — they sell the same loot to adventurers, then get them drunk and shanghai them (getting their merchandise back and then some). Unlucky adventurers are sent to a ship docked in the thick fog around Trebaz Sinara, a large nearby island, where other ships come by to pick them up. Kif also corrects that it's not merely slavery — he works for the Bloodsails, a group of elf pirates who specialize in necromancy. They don't care if they get their victims alive or dead — they use the body for their dark rituals, and use necromancy to raise the bodies into undead. Amahndar perks up at this and declares that they must stop the Bloodsails at all costs, as he is an avowed foe of the undead.

The party decides to tie up Kif, and to use him to procure a ship to rendezvous with the Bloodsail vessel and find Nevitash.

Primer: Religions of Eberron

Deities don't take an active hand in Eberron — in fact, there's not any proof that the deities even exist, except that divine powers come from somewhere. Deities never appear to their followers, and they have no exarchs or aspects that manifest (though some angels claim to serve the gods, none of them have seen them either). Still, faith is very important to many different people, and there are a multitude of religions to choose from.

The Sovereign Host

The nine deities that make up the Sovereign Host find worshippers from all walks of life; in fact, the Sovereign Host is the most worshipped religion in Khorvaire. They represent all that is good about people and civilization, and prayers to each of the members are commonly offered in day to day life. There is no one unified church of the Sovereign Host or any of the individual deities, but they are an integral part of Khorvaire culture.

There is no afterlife for worshippers of the Sovereign Host; all souls, good or bad, go to Dolurrh, the Realm of the Dead, when they die, but priests urge members to live good lives for their own sake, to enjoy the precious gift of life while they have it.

Members of the pantheon: Arawai, goddess of fertility and life; Aureon, god of knowledge and magic; Balinor, god of beasts and the hunt; Boldrei, goddess of community and the homestead; Dol Arrah, goddess of honor and sunlight; Dol Dorn, god of courage and physical prowess; Kol Korran, god of commerce and wealth; Olladra, goddess of luck and celebration; and Onatar, god of fire and industry.

The Dark Six

The counterparts to the Sovereign Host, the Dark Six represent the darkness of the wilderness and anarchy. They are cruel, passionate, and wild. Though most people don't actively worship them, prayers for mercy or supplication are commonly offered.

Member of the pantheon: the Devourer, god of nature's wrath; the Fury, god of vengeance and wrath; the Keeper, god of greed and necromancy; the Mockery, god of betrayal and war; the Shadow, god of ambition and corruption; and the Traveler, god of cunning and deception. While the first five are explicitly evil, the Traveler is mysterious and unaligned; in particular, he is revered by changelings.

The Silver Flame

The Church of the Silver Flame is the largest organized religion in Khorvaire. 700 years ago in Thrane, an ancient demon broke out of its prison and rampaged across the land. A paladin named Tira Miron and a couatl merged with a silver pillar of flame to imprison the demon, and on that spot the everburning Silver Flame manifested. Through the centuries, Tira acts as the Voice of the Silver Flame, whispering to the Keeper of the Flame, the head of the church. The Keeper is called from a young age, hearing the voice of Tira Miron; the Silver Flame chooses its own Keeper.

The Church of the Silver Flame is engaged in a never-ending quest to rid the world of evil, particularly entities such as undead and demons. The Church exhorts its members to convert others to the Flame and to fight evil wherever it can be found; as such, Silver Flame missionaries can be found in all corners of Khorvaire.

During the Last War, Thrane deposed its aristocratic rulers and instituted a theocracy, making the Church the official government body of the nation and the Keeper the ruler.

The current Keeper of the Flame is Jaela Daran, who heard the call of the Flame when she was 6 years old. She is now 11, and she is served in her position of head of state by the Council of Cardinals. Most of the true governance is done by High Cardinal Krozen.

While the Church of the Silver Flame is a strong force for good, it has its fair share of unpleasantness. The Church controversially went on a crusade to wipe out lycanthropes more than a hundred years ago, leading to great animosity with the shifters. Some priests are corrupt and use their positions of power for their own ends. And a few even say they can still hear the voice of the bound demon in the Silver Flame, urging them to evil.

The Blood of Vol

The worshippers of the Blood of Vol are fascinated by blood, which they consider to be "the divine within"; most of their rituals involve blood offerings and sharing. Followers shun the deities and focus on self-improvement, saying that the key to divinity is inside one's self. They say those who master their abilities can even become immortal. Many falsely believe the Blood of Vol worships the undead (who have achieved immortality); however, the teachings are dark and driven, but not evil. Many look to the Blood of Vol to improve their abilities and further unlock their powers.

The Path of Light

Most kalashtar follow the Path of Light, equal parts philosophy and religion. They pursue paths of self-improvement and meditation, seeking physical and mental perfection. They believe in a universal positive energy called il-Yannah, "the Great Light," which can grant peace and serenity. However, those who follow the Path of Light are not pacifists; they use their abilities to fight evil wherever it arises, and they seek to purge all of Eberron of corruption.

The Path of Inspiration

The people of Riedra, across the sea in Sarlona, worship the Inspired, god-like beings who are the pinnacle of mortal perfection. Riedrans obey every whim of the Inspired, and they believe that if they work hard enough in this life, they can be reincarnated in their next as an Inspired in a cycle of spiritual evolution. The religion also teaches that the kalashtar, who also hail from Sarlona, are dangerous magicians who consort with devils.

Cults of the Dragon Below

Not a unified religion, cults of the Dragon Below venerate creatures from the depths of Khyber, deep beneath the earth. Illithids, beholders, creatures from the nightmare realm of Xoriat, and others are objects of worship for these dangerous and often insane cultists.

Elf Religions

Elves generally follow one of two faiths: the Undying Court or the Spirits of the Past. Elves who follow the Undying Court typically hail from the nearby continent of Aerenal, where they worship the wisdom of their ancestors. However, on Aerenal, this extends far beyond worship; worthy ancestors are made literally immortal in complex rituals, and they hold court within giant temple-cities. Very few non-elves have ever seen the secret cities of the Undying Court.

Elves who worship the Spirits of the Past are typically from Valenar, a cultural offshoot of the Aerenal elves. These elves also follow their ancestors, but rather than venerating their undying forms, they wish to emulate their great deeds. As such, they pursue glory in battle and constantly pursue war, that they might follow the great tales of their predecessors.

Druidic Traditions

The Eldeen Reaches are the heart of druidism on Khorvaire, but there are a wide variety of druidic traditions. The Wardens of the Wood protect the Reaches from evil forces. The Gatekeepers, dating back thousands of years, are an orcish tradition focused on fighting aberrations and preserving the natural order. The Greensingers are a chaotic group with close ties to Thelanis, the realm of fey. The Ashbound consider themselves nature's avengers, and they violently attack arcane magic users; as such, they are reclusive and generally considered dangerous. Also considered dangerous and evil are the Children of Winter, who embrace death and decay. Other, varied sects exist all across Eberron.

Warforged Religions

The warforged, built by man, sometimes pursue man's faiths, but a few specific to warforged have sprung up. The most dangerous is the cult that worships the Lord of Blades, a dangerous warforged megalomaniac dwelling in the Mournland who plans to wipe out all beings of flesh so that warforged, the superior form, can rule supreme. Some even whisper that the Lord of Blades might have had a hand in the destruction of Cyre, though no proof exists.

Another warforged religion is the faith of the Becoming God. Not content to worship an abstract concept, these warforged, calling themselves the Godforged, debate whether they have souls and believe that the Becoming God is the great soul of the warforged people. They pursue creation forges to create more warforged (and thus more warforged souls), strengthening the soul of their people; some also travel into the Mournland, where they are working on constructing a giant body for the Becoming God to inhabit.

Finally, not so much a religion as a philosophy, the Reforged embrace that they have sentient life, believing they should act more human in order to enjoy their souls. These warforged act human, wear clothes, eat, create art and music, and live their emotions to the fullest.

Primer: The Nations of Eberron

Here's the first in a series of short articles detailing the world of Eberron to help players get acclimated. This one features short synopses of the different countries in Khorvaire, the main continent.

Galifar and the Last War

About a thousand years ago, the nations of Aundair, Breland, Cyre, Karrnath, and Thrane were united under one banner under the reign of King Galifar I. The kingdom of Galifar became the primary civilization on Khorvaire; in fact, the Khorvaire calendar begins at 1 YK, the year the kingdom was established. The five nation-states maintained their own identities, and each was ruled by the descendants of Galifar's five children.

However, a little more than a hundred years ago (in 894 YK), King Jarot died, and his children disagreed over who would succeed him. Disagreements turned to armed conflict, and the five nations declared war on each other. The Last War lasted for a hundred years and devastated the continent. Boundaries were drawn and re-drawn as alliances changed and armies claimed and lost territory.

The war neared its end in 994 YK on what is today known as the Day of Mourning. One day, a dead-grey mist settled over the nation of Cyre, killing all in its path. Entire armies and cities were devoured, and most strangely, the mist stopped exactly at Cyre's borders. The nation of Cyre was destroyed in a single day, and no one living knows the cause of the Mourning. Some say it was a weapon used by one of the other nations; some say it was the wrath of the gods; some say it was a demon awoken by the war. Everyone has their theories, and no one knows for certain. Cyre became the Mournland, a desolate ruin full of terrifying monsters, still cloaked by the dead-grey mist.

The nations soon signed the Treaty of Thronehold, which officially ended the war, though tensions still remain high. Many say it is only a matter of time before old rivalries explode and Khorvaire knows war once again. (While I don't expect anybody to keep track of years and dates and history, the campaign will take place in 998 YK, 4 years after the Day of Mourning and 2 years after the Last War ended.)

The Five Nations

Aundair

Known for: farming, arcane magic

Most of the country is pastoral farmland, and most of the people are simple and rustic. However, Aundair has great metropolitan centers, and it is also home to a number of wizard colleges, such as the Arcane Congress. Aundairians are fascinated by magic.

Breland

Known for: democracy, being a melting pot

Breland, a socially progressive country, is one of the most diverse countries on Khorvaire, as people of all races can be found here. It is also one of the only democracies; though they still have a king, they also have a common parliament and encourage civic participation. Breland is also home to the city of Sharn, the City of Towers, the largest city on the continent. Sharn serves as an adventuring haven because of its access to more exotic locales.

Cyre (now the Mournland)

Known for: art, invention

Cyre was known as a center of art and culture before the Day of Mourning. The land is now inhabited by strange monsters and foul undead, so many Cyrans have settled in nearby Breland. As their homeland was lost to them only four years ago, many Cyrans are bitter and struggle to survive elsewhere as they search for a way to reclaim their lost homeland.

Karrnath

Known for: military, undead

Karrnath is known as one of the primary military powers on Khorvaire. Every citizen is required to serve at least two years in the army or navy, and nearly everybody has had combat training of some kind. Life in Karrnath is disciplined and regimented. Karrnath is also known for commonly using undead as soldiers on the battlefield, and in fact they have their own necromantic recipes to keep their undead troops in line. Many Karrns don't have the same prejudices against the undead that others do; they aren't afraid of continuing to serve Karrnath after death.

Thrane

Known for: the Silver Flame

The Church of the Silver Flame has always been strong in Thrane, as their main cathedral, including the Silver Flame itself, is in the capital. During the Last War, angry after a string of defeats, the citizens overthrew the monarchy and instituted the Church as ruler. Thrane is now a theocracy, ruled by the Speaker of the Flame. Nearly everybody in Thrane worships the Silver Flame, and most of the Church's paladins are from Thrane.

Other nations

Darguun

Known for: goblin tribes

Darguun was once part of Cyre; the goblin tribes who lived there worked as mercenaries during the Last War. During the war, the goblins instigated a sudden, violent rebellion, claiming their ancestral homelands for their own. Darguun was recognized as a sovereign nation during the Treaty of Thronehold. It's considered a lawless land by many, though this is in fact not true; the goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears do have laws and swear allegiance to the Lhesh Haruuc (their leader).

The Demon Wastes

Known for: barbarian tribes, demons

Not a "nation" in the strictest sense, the region called the Demon Wastes is unclaimed. It is a terrible badland of twisting canyons and harsh conditions, plagued by barbarian tribes. The Demon Wastes are home to many demons and fiends who roam freely and plot openly. Though the land is rich in magical resources, only the most foolish adventurers travel there. The only force for good here is the Ghaash'kala, a confederation of orcs that contain the evil forces there.

Droaam

Known for: monsters

Droaam was once part of Breland, but monstrous mercenaries — ogres, trolls, minotaurs, gnolls, and the like — took it as their own during the Last War. All the warlords swear fealty to Droaam's rulers, a trio of hags called the Daughters of Sora Kell who keep the peace. Most of the other nations are nervous about the existence of a monster nation, but don't have the strength to try to conquer it. Most people keep out of Droaam unless they don't want to be found.

The Eldeen Reaches

Known for: druids

This territory once belonged to Aundair, but when that nation pulled most of its forces away, the druids stepped in to protect the citizens. The Eldeen Reaches then seceded, a fact many Aundairians are still angry about. The nation is known as the heart of druidism on Khorvaire; nearly all druidic traditions were founded here by the greatpine treant Oalian. The Eldeen Reaches also has close ties to Thelanis, the fey realm. Most people who live here are farmers or members of druidic sects.

The Lhazaar Principalities

Known for: pirates, mariners

The Principalities are a series of island territories each ruled by a so-called sea prince. It's home to pirates, outlaws, mariners, and seagoing merchants. Laws vary dramatically, but it is a major trading center despite its violent reputation.

The Mror Holds

Known for: dwarf clans

The Mror Holds is a confederation of dwarf clans who are constantly fighting amongst each other for position and power. They were once part of Karrnath, but seceded during the Last War. It's also a rich, mountainous mining region, making the dwarves very wealthy. The dwarves also protect against aberrations that creep up from the deep realm of Khyber.

Q'Barra

Known for: New Galifar, lizardfolk, dragonborn

During the Last War, a group of human deserters settled in this humid jungle region, disgusted with the infighting between the Five Nations, and founded New Galifar, their vision of a united humanity. They quickly found the land was already inhabited by lizardfolk and dragonborn, and tensions have not cooled down between the human idealists and the lizards wanting to protect their homeland. Explorers have also found many ruins across this new frontier, some dating back thousands of years.

The Shadow Marches

Known for: dragonshards, orcs, ruins

The Shadow Marches are not a "nation" in the strictest sense because nobody wants the territory — marshland and swamps as far as the eye can see. As such, there are very few settlements here. However, it is dotted with ruins dating back to ancient history, and it is one of the major locations to find dragonshards, mystical minerals that help power magical items. Many people try to make a living here as dragonshard prospectors. The orc clans vary between cultured and civilized to true savages.

The Talenta Plains

Known for: halflings

Not all halflings come from the Talenta Plains, although a fair share of them do. A large rolling savannah and swath of grasslands, the Plains are home to nomadic tribes of halflings who live as hunter-gatherers. The Talenta halflings use dinosaurs as mounts, and while they seem primitive, the tribesmen are well aware of the outside world.

Valenar

Known for: militaristic elves

This region once belonged to Cyre. The Cyrans hired elf warclans from the nearby continent of Aerenal as mercenaries during the Last War, but the elves took the territory for their own, saying Valenar was among their ancestral lands long before Galifar was founded. The humans who lived there adapted to life under their new masters and live there still as serfs. The Valenar warclans seek to emulate their ancestors through battle and glorious deeds, and they commonly ride their magnificent warhorses across the border, seeking battle.

Zilargo

Known for: gnomes

Zilargo is a civilized land ruled by the gnomes, but don't let the peaceful demeanor fool you: Most gnomes make their living as spies and intelligence gatherers, and Zilargo employs a shadowy cabal called the Trust to ensure its citizens work for the good of the nation. Enemies soon find their secrets revealed and are never seen again. Still, Zilargo is a land of magical and alchemical innovation, and the gnomes have founded many universities and laboratories.

1st Post!!!1!11

Welcome to the blog for my Eberron campaign, set to start in the near future. Here, I'll be posting recaps, character profiles, and interesting Eberron world info.

For now, I've got starter lists of the player characters (subject to change), NPCs, and locations, and there's a giant map of Khorvaire, the main continent of Eberron, which is where most of the campaign will take place. It's roughly 2/3 the size of North America, for comparison purposes.