This thread is the first in a series of threads to collect suggestions for infusing additional Eberron material into the Savage Tide Adventure Path.
I've already posted a little info on the Rust Rhagodessa (type = aberration with vermin traits, pedipalps do 2d6 automatic no save damage when grappling with warforged). Someone suggested that this may be a little too tough, so feel free to pull off one of its legs (reduce its climb speed to 30 and shave off some of its current hp). Make sure the cage is bronzewood.
Another suggestion is to make the Blue Nixie an elemental bound vessel. Personally I'm thinking of using a bound water elemental. The ship will function like a House Lyrander galleon (ECS 125) being able to travel without wind.
During the first encounter with the pirate thugs, if Vark is able to yell his command then change the scene to allow the thug to actually start a fire in the hold. The easiest way to put out the fire is to have the water elemental that's bound to the ship pull it underwater for a few rounds until the fire is out. To infuse even more "high fantasy", you could have the water raise up instead; only at first would it seem like they were sinking. This could occur while the rhagodessa(s) are fighting the PCs in the hold; if they are rust rhagodessa they can climb to the ceiling and rust the iron grate for an exit while the hold fills with water.
The fact that there is a bound water elemental under the ship could be a secret. Lavinia could tell the PCs that there's a special lever under a platform on the quarterdeck (revealing an embedded dragonshard that controls the elemental) to be used in case of an emergency. If she tells you where to look its just a Search DC 10, otherwise it's DC 25. Lavinia shouldn't reveal exactly what the lever does; this makes the discovery more exciting. When the fire breaks out and if the players discover the dragonshard they can use it to communicate with the elemental.
There are several ways to get the water elemental to temporarily half-submerge the ship. Whoever makes the attempt must touch the dragonshard. Anyone with the Mark of Storm can attempt a Profession (Sailor) check at DC 15. Players probably won't have access to Charm or Dominate Monster, but these methods would work if they did. Clerics with the water domain can expend an elemental rebuke attempt to command the elemental for 1 minute, enough time to supress the fire.
The most likely method is to simply communicate with the elemental and coax it into getting rid of the fire. A successful intimidate check at DC 15 can be made if the PCs tell it that it will be bound to the dragonshard on the bottom of the sea forever. Promising to free the elemental will work with a diplomacy check of just DC 5 if you intend to do it or a bluff check of DC 20 if you don't.
Hmm... I like that. (And I'll be having a player that'll be a half-elf from House Lyrandar (a swashbuckler) and he'd just go wild for this. (I also think he'll go wild for the chance to have his own ship, i.e. the Sea Wyvern.)
I originally planned on skipping a lot of the flavor of the campaign and focusing instead on the "cinematic" aspect of Eberron in this campaign by making mechanical changes. However, we started doing some of the build up to the Blue Nixie campaign through email so I've had to add a little more background.
While we're waiting for the conversion notes, here's the district conversion notes I created:
Azure: Azure = Deep Brethren (Old Gods the Host refers to as Devourer and Mockery, see the AoW Eberron supplement for The Prince of Redhand for more information on this new religion)
Champion: Kord = Dol Dorn
Cudgel: Cuthbert = Silver Flame
Merchant: Fharlanghn = Kol Korran
Shadowshore: Olidammara = Olladra
Noble: Wee Jas = Aureon (one of the bigger flavor changes here)
Sunrise: Sunrise = Arawai (rather than Dol Arrah, I chose to go with the god of agriculture to reflect the high number of plantation owners)