Eberron - Rising from the Last War

98

THE VOICE OF

lM�ANl

SILVER FLAME'S

CRISIS OF. FAITH!

The Te mplars of the Silver Flame are supposed to repre­

sent the Church and the nation in pursuit of the highest

ideals of the faith, as they crusade against the forces of

evil across Khorvaire. But are they fulfilling that high

calling? Or are they just as mired in politics as the Brelish

bureaucracy?

High Cardinal Baerdren ir'Davik, who also holds the

rank of grand master of the templars, appears to be an

exemplary templar, utterly dedicated to the mission of

the order. Ye t it is widely known that he chafes at the

political and bureaucratic responsibilities that his posi­

tion on the Council of Cardinals demands of him. This

reporter has learned that Sir Baerdren would readily

surrender his position, were it not for his distrust of his

seneschal, Ofejjaia of Korth.

Lady Ofejjaia, it seems, has other issues on her per­

sonal agenda besides advancing the cause of the knights

templar, and one wonders if those issues are tied to her

Karrnathi origin. Though her wisdom and sound judg­

ment are not in dispute, it seems that Sir Baerdren fe ars

that she would drive the order into obsolescence or even

banishment if she were in charge.

Does Lady Ofejjaia hold her lofty position because of

her loyalty, her piety, and her qualifications? Or is she

there simply so that Sir Baerdren can keep his eye on

her and ensure that she doesn't sabotage the templars

from within?

ORDER CONTACT

d8 Contact

A cloistered priest with little worldly experience who

doesn't really understand what you do but seems to

approve of it anyway

2 A cynical priest who thinks nothing you do makes any

difference in the grand scheme of things

3 A zealous priest who is constantly urging you to do

more and do it better

4 An ambitious priest who views you as a ticket to ad­

vancement in the hierarchy

5 A retired adventurer who would rather do your work

than direct you in it

6 A pious priest who sees the hands of the divine in ev­

ery event, even the actions of unbelievers

7 A devout lay person who envies the magic and power

your group wields

8 A practical fu nctionary who tries to keep your work iso­

lated from the knowledge and influence of the priests

CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION

OTHER RELIGIOUS ORDERS

In addition to the Te mplars of the Silver Flame, several

other groups might sponsor your party, such as the fol­

lowing organizations:

The Deathguard. This elite order of elven priests

and warriors from Aerenal is sworn to destroy all

evil undead.

The Devout of the Celestial Crown. One of many litur­

gical councils that serve a mostly administrative role

for the priests of the Sovereign Host, the Devout man­

age a large portion of the city of Sham.

The Gatekeepers. This ancient druid sect seeks to de­

fend nature against aberrations, fiends, and undead.

UNIVERSITY

An institution of higher education sponsors your group.

You might be researchers, bodyguards for scholars, or

glorified treasure hunters searching for ancient arti­

facts. The university might regularly employ you or you

might have a contact at the university who pays you any

time you bring back something useful from your adven­

tures. You could be a team of academics, or you could be

employed to provide some (physical and magical) mus­

cle that the university otherwise lacks.

MORGRAVE UNIVERSITY

At the heart of Sham's Morgrave University is a sharp

dichotomy: On the one hand, it is known as a nexus for

scholars wishing to study Xen'drik, thanks in large part

to Sham's proximity to the secret continent. Its col­

lections of artifacts and scholarly works about ancient

Xen'drik and the Dhakaan Empire are unparalleled.

In many ways, it lives up to the shining vision of its

founder, Lord Lareth ir'Morgrave, to be "a beacon of

knowledge shining from the tallest towers of the city."

On the other hand, the university's reputation is

tainted by allegations of smuggling, treasure hunting,

and profiteering. Many priceless relics recovered from

Xen'drik or Dhakaani ruins have disappeared from the

university vaults and found their way to the black market

or into the hands of the Aurum. It's an open secret that

some scholars, professors, and even students at the

university have ties to smugglers and thieves. All these

allegations, too, have ties to the university's founding:

Lord Morgrave himself is said to have made his fortune

selling Dhakaani artifacts on the black market, and

some have claimed that the true purpose of the uni­

versity was to help him build his fortune through such

questionable means.

Allies. The academic world is relatively small, and

people at any one university tend to have connections

at others. You might parlay such relationships into as­

sistance from academies and institutions, such as the

following organizations:

Flamewind. The sphinx Flamewind (described in the

"Immortal Being" section) isn't officially affiliated

with the university, but she lives there and spends

much of her time in its libraries and museums. As a

scholar of the Draconic Prophecy, Flamewind often

poses strange questions and sends adventurers on

obscure missions.