Eberron: Shadows of Breland (Fantasy Noir)

Game Master Elton

Rules dealing with metaplotting, metagaming, rules lawyering, that sort of thing:

* Player characters are not allowed to know each other's backgrounds. You did spend time together in a PoW camp, but it's best you didn't get to know each other's backgrounds. Taking advantage of player knowledge is a no-no. This plot works best if you all do not intimately know each other's backgrounds.

* you can't stop metagaming, but blatantly trying to predict what I'm going to do on the discussion and play board during game is a no-no. keep your metagaming to yourself.

* Light rules lawyering is acceptable. Players are welcome to point out misrulings and inconsistencies. But remember rule negative 1: In the best interest of the game, the Gamemaster is always right. :)

* This discussion board is for out of character discussions of the campaign, use it. :)

I think that's it. :)

1). First post of the day has been added.

Six players are in this campaign, so careful planning has been implemented. Your group is stronger than most others by force of numbers. So you may face stronger foes or foes your level but in bigger groups.

Because Xov's background is almost entirely secret, he has a standard false-background, which is what he is likely to tell to the other PCs if inquired (if not asked, he usually won't share anything).
I don't think I need to give the whole thing now, but here is the abbreviated version of his standard-lie (he needs to bluff to tell people this):
He was born in the Thalios region of Aundair (his family came there from Xen'Drik many generations ago). At the beginning of the last war, he was sent to fight in a magic support-unit. He was captured in Brelish territory about 80 years ago (this sentence is true). Unfortunately, most of his family stayed behind, and they, along with their land and property, were killed/lost when Thrane invaded Thalios in 925 YK.

The point is, his falsified backstory is simple enough to repeat, consistent with available evidence (he has no home or family), and believable. In general, he will only give this explanation if pressed, since telling a good lie is still riskier than not speaking at all.

Just putting that up for GM Elton's reference. There is more to the story than that (after all, he's had 80 years in prison to make up a convincing lie about his former life), but that's the gist of it.

checking in

those of you not using aliases, do you need assistance in making them?

Huh, under the "characters" tab, it still shows me as 137ben, even though I was using an alias to post in the gameplay thread...

Maybe I just need to use my alias here?
(let's see...)

Nope, weird, the "characters" tab still shows me without an alias.

Nope, weird, the "characters" tab still shows me without an alias.

It would be best if you can select an Avatar icon. Let me show you what a possible drow might look like.

go to my account and find the button on the leftish-middle that says create new messageboard alias. put your character's name in and pick an avatar (i think you can even narrow it down to drow)

Okay, I switched my Xov alias avatar from "none" to this one.

So thanks Tenro- obviously I've got my Alias up and running now.

Well, the characters tab still says I'm not using an alias. Oh well...

ready

Hi- just something that I wanted to clear up- Danir has not made his last name clear and for the foreseeable future he may not reveal this information, as he left his house and would rather not be associated with it again at this time since they left him in a POW camp to rot for nearly 2 years when they could have probably used their clout to get him released.

Hi- just something that I wanted to clear up- Danir has not made his last name clear and for the foreseeable future he may not reveal this information, as he left his house and would rather not be associated with it again at this time since they left him in a POW camp to rot for nearly 2 years when they could have probably used their clout to get him released.

He's probably also been declared excorciate. Which basically means he is forbidden from using his last name. It's up to you, of course, but if his family is so against his actions, they probably tried to cast him out of the House itself. I think it also has a variety of nasty effects, so you may want to look into it first.

Danir wrote:

Hi- just something that I wanted to clear up- Danir has not made his last name clear and for the foreseeable future he may not reveal this information, as he left his house and would rather not be associated with it again at this time since they left him in a POW camp to rot for nearly 2 years when they could have probably used their clout to get him released.

He's probably also been declared excorciate. Which basically means he is forbidden from using his last name. It's up to you, of course, but if his family is so against his actions, they probably tried to cast him out of the House itself. I think it also has a variety of nasty effects, so you may want to look into it first.

Not necessarily. A lot have changed, so he might be reinducted in the House on probation.

GM: Whoa, your face changing antics are baffling my poor brain cell! I think it might be overloaded.

GM: Whoa, your face changing antics are baffling my poor brain cell! I think it might be overloaded.

not to worry. I had to change from a drow. I thought raistlin would be menacing enough for everyone.

ready

Good. Don't hold everyone up now, I began the second phase of this prologue.

I feel like I can keep posting for as long as necessary, but I don't want to outpace the people who can't do so. I'm trying to decide how often I should post... Any suggestions?

Kyndril- while his back story does have him walking away from the house, he was never excoriated. However, because he had walked out on them, they decided not to pull any strings on his behalf- perhaps hoping he would learn the error of his ways and come back of his own free will.

Danir: Aha! Excellent.

I think I figured out what the glitch was with it not recognizing my alias: If I post something as 137ben, then edit it to Xov, it still counts as a post for 137ben. Default alias changed, shouldn't happen again...

Good.

Okay, it looks like we're waiting on three people...
that's definitely enough to wait.

Quite!

Make that two people...

EDIT: Okay, just one more person...

Make that two people...

EDIT: Okay, just one more person...

Yes, and it's not right to hurry that man. He has a reason why he isn't posting with the same frequency as you all are. :)

I know, that's why we're waiting for him:)

I assume we're keeping on waiting, despite the oh-so-tempting post you just made, GM?

*Shakes his fist vaguely at the tempting post*

Just joking, of course.

doesnt bother me to wait. im just glad to have replaced the games of mine that died. i was down to 4 active games from over 10 active games.

Ouch. This is my only PbP and only Pathfinder game at the moment.

EDIT: By the way, what sort of class is a Marksman?

Well, it will get better. :)

Well, it will get better. :)

I hope so! It looks promising thus far! :D

marksman is a ranged damage class, and are proficient with all bows, crossbows, thrown weapons, etc.
they have some modest psionic powers (they get really few power points per day and few powers known).
The shroud archetype makes him somewhat sneaky (invisibility a few times per day and stealth as a class skill)

it's no deep dark secret (meaning it will come out in time) that he is a House Lyrandar man, and i have plans for him to be an airship captain in the fairly distant (unless we keep up this breakneck posting speed) future (level 7 or 8)

You can definitely get a stronghold built.

I assume we're keeping on waiting, despite the oh-so-tempting post you just made, GM?

*Shakes his fist vaguely at the tempting post*

Just joking, of course.

Yea, I think the point of that tempting post was to get us to wait:)

marksman is a ranged damage class, and are proficient with all bows, crossbows, thrown weapons, etc.

they have some modest psionic powers (they get really few power points per day and few powers known).
The shroud archetype makes him somewhat sneaky (invisibility a few times per day and stealth as a class skill)

it's no deep dark secret (meaning it will come out in time) that he is a House Lyrandar man, and i have plans for him to be an airship captain in the fairly distant (unless we keep up this breakneck posting speed) future (level 7 or 8)

Fascinating. I'm planning on mixing magic, swordscraft, and sneakiness, myself. Magus/Rogue... No idea how viable it is, but it sounds fun! Also, I like the idea of getting an airship in the future. They're practically iconic of Eberron, after all.

EDIT: Assuming you share, of course. :P

well i imagined it would be pretty valuable to carry the party around on an airship.

especially since he would likely need help paying for it (those things aint cheap!)

No kidding. Even Lyrandar galleons are seriously expensive. I'm sure we can find some way to earn money. Even if it's just bounty hunting or whatnot. >_>

On a slightly different note: I shall have to sleep soon, so expect no posts from me for a good seven or eight hours, unless I suddenly suffer from insomnia.

It's play by post. you can set the pace.

ready when you guys are

Excellent! Welcome aboard.

ready when you guys are

Great! They are waiting for you to post. :)

I know I have a shopping list of items that Danir's going to want to get his hands on, starting with the tools of his various trades...

I know I have a shopping list of items that Danir's going to want to get his hands on, starting with the tools of his various trades...

Good, anyone else? :)

Othan will be searching for armour once we disembark

For those who don't know, gameplay has already started.

Danir wrote:

I know I have a shopping list of items that Danir's going to want to get his hands on, starting with the tools of his various trades...

Good, anyone else? :)

I also have a list of items for Kyndril. It's pretty basic, but he's got a few things to get... Mostly stuff for his cooking craftiness.

oh, how i love the morrowind feel we have going so far.

i played that game way more than i have played any other game, even skyrim. got a character into the high 70's (level) once by going to jail to decrease my skills, and when it decreased my main skills i would train them back up to level up again (because decreasing them didn't decrease your level in the first place)

also made a constant clannfear-summoning ring that broke my file. every time i went to take it off, the game would freeze. it was on xbox so i couldn't just console-delete the ring.