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I am preparing to start a new Eberron game this weekend for three PCs.
One is a human antipaladin (probably from Karrnath - at least originally - maybe going for Holy Vindicator, maybe not), one is a human witch of indeterminate origin, and the other is a changeling rogue from the Principalities (going for Master Spy with a bit of Assassin thrown in). Obviously, it's a (very) evil campaign.
The endgame plot arc of the campaign will revolve around obtaining the Bottle of the Bound artifact from the new APG. The most powerful fiends contained in the bottle will be long-slumbering members of the Lords of Dust, sealed up by the dragons at the end of the Age of Demons.
Our group probably plays as many good campaigns as evil ones, and inter-party conflict won't be an issue - we're good at playing evil, and playing it realistically and maturely. What I need help with is how to cast the PCs, so to speak. In particular, the antipaladin and the witch.
Where do a Karrnathi antipaladin and a witch belong, in Eberron? What factions or regions should I involve them with at the onset of the game?
Should I affiliate them with the Lords of Dust to start with? I actually can't find much info regarding the cults that venerate the Lords of Dust anywhere. What faction or gods would a (probably Karrnathi) antipaladin have for a patron?
I am thinking of casting the witch as a native of the Demon Wastes who - for one reason or another - is inspired to serve the antipaladin as an advisor, sage, and guide (with a little of that "power behind the throne" mentality thrown in... the antipaladin is only going to have an Intelligence score of 8, after all).
The changeling just goes where the money is, the player has made that clear. So he's easy.
What to do with an evil witch and a Karrnathi antipaladin in Eberron...
Thoughts? Ideas? Hit me.
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Perhaps they work for the Blood of Vol, and seek the Bottle because the lady doesn't want the competition, but would love to have it as a bargaining chip (like being the only person with a nuclear warhead).
The party then has to deal with:
A) Cultists of the Lords of Dust who want the bottle to release the occupants.
B) Inquisitors of the Silver Flame - Who want to see the bottle destroyed lest the Lords of Dust be released.
C) Dragons (two factions) one faction interprets a prophecy of the bottle being opened being true, and another interprets it as being false.
In any case The Blood of Vol is a uniquely Karrn organisation, an antipaladin that wants to spread evil and chaos could do worse patrons than Vol. A witch with a familiar granted by Vol herself would have an interest in keeping the Paladin focused. A changeling spy would make an excellent recruit for infiltrating the competing organisations above - offered money and immortality.
an anti-paladin of karnath should be going for BOne Knight. Karrns are devoted to their nation, not their gods. He's probably an anti-paladin because he has no faith in the gods...his belief is in his country and willingness to do anything for it. Fiends, good, evil...just tools to get things done.
Karrn with of the blood makes perfect sense. Just be aware she's setting her self up for undeadness...and with Vol being non-divine, she's going to see any rising PC as a challenger to her position! An evil follower of the Dark Six, believing the good gods are soft, weak and useless, might be a better way to go.
==Aelryinth
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Thanks for the help so far.
The Blood of Vol had occured to me as a patron, but I'm feeling like the witch's familiar (being the source of any witch's powers) is almost certainly an agent of the Lords of Dust. That being the case, would the witch simply be using the antipaladin as an unwitting tool in the service of her masters, do you think?
That makes:
A witch in the service of the Lords of Dust,
An antipaladin in the service of the Blood of Vol,
and a master spy in the service of coin.
I'm not sure if this is a great idea, a threat to party cohesion, or both. To what end would Lady Vol use a human antipaladin (who could not possibly carry her bloodline). Would Lady Vol's/the antipaladin's goals conflict with the goals of the Lords of Dust? What kinds of plotlines would you create with this?
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The problem with using Karrnath (or Vol) as a patron is that neither faction would ever want to open the Bottle of the Bound, and release the Lords of Dust. I can't imagine who would, which is why I am having trouble choosing patrons and early goals.
The anti-paladin could easily be a soldier from Karrnath who has been wildly disenchanted with the end of the war (believing Karrnath was going to win and Kaius III is weak for signing a peace treaty) and is now looking for purpose in life. An agent of the Lords of Dust would most likely see this as fertile recruiting ground and the AntiP may well drift towards the LoD seeking power to re-ignite the war and conclude it as he/she thought that it should have ended...
You could also move slightly away from some of what is written and make Kaius really evil. He is seeking to ally himself with the LoD to defeat Vol (perhaps to take her place) and is willing to sacrifice lots of people to do this (preferably from Breland, Thrane, or Aundair). The anti-paladin could, in this instance, actually be an agent of the king...
Opposition in both cases would come from the Silver Flame and Vol and you might well get political ramifications/situations as well in Karrnath if you want to go that direction. In both cases the Sovereign Host and Dark Six could be played as opposition, quasi-allies, or even ineffective light entertainment...
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The problem with using Karrnath (or Vol) as a patron is that neither faction would ever want to open the Bottle of the Bound, and release the Lords of Dust. I can't imagine who would, which is why I am having trouble choosing patrons and early goals.The anti-paladin could easily be a soldier from Karrnath who has been wildly disenchanted with the end of the war (believing Karrnath was going to win and Kaius III is weak for signing a peace treaty) and is now looking for purpose in life. An agent of the Lords of Dust would most likely see this as fertile recruiting ground and the AntiP may well drift towards the LoD seeking power to re-ignite the war and conclude it as he/she thought that it should have ended...
Ahh... now this, I like.