- The Spider is a changeling information broker who
owns a cosmetics store called Honest Faces in the
Dragoneyes district. This location is a common desti
nation for people who want to purchase secrets from
the Tyrants. Though the Spider often sells secrets for
gold, sometimes it will trade its knowledge only for
services or other secrets.
TYRANTS VILLAINS
The Tyrants are a covert force. They operate in the shad
ows, trade identities, and like to manipulate their ene
mies into fighting each other. Tyrant villains rarely show
their true faces. Examples of Tyrants villains appear on
the Tyrants Villains table.TYRANTS VILLAINS
d6 Villain2345A changeling rogue infiltrates adventuring parties to
steal their magic items.
A cabal of changelings shares an identity as a Sharn
Watch captain. They use the disguise to free criminals
from prison.
A changeling assassin murders members of the Boro
mar Clan, Daask, and House Tarkanan, then takes on
the identities of its victims.
A changeling bard gathers incriminating information
about members of the King's Dark Lanterns, then
blackmails them.
A Brelish changeling veteran of the Last War
was distrusted by fellow soldiers because of the
shapechanger's heritage. The veteran now exposes
those soldiers' darkest secrets to their friends,
families, and employers.
6 A changeling mage masquerades as a priest of the
Silver Flame and uses spells to send the religion's
faithful "signs" from Tira Miron that encourage them
to spy, steal, and kill for the Tyrants.TYRANTS CAMPAIGN THEMES
The primary theme of the Ty rants is mystery. In dealing
with the Tyrants, there is always a question of what is
real and what the true objective actually is. With the Ty
rants, anything could be a long con, and both allies and
enemies may not be who they appear to be.
The Tyrants have three objectives: acquiring gold,
gathering secrets, and protecting the changelings of
Sham. In working the Tyrants into a campaign, the first
question is which of these objectives will take prece
dence. Are they primarily grifters, trying to squeeze as
much profit as possible out of the situation? Are they
mainly working to gather secrets, and to use those se
crets to manipulate others? Or are they most concerned
with helping other changelings, who are often with the
objects of fe ar and suspicion?
The Tyrants offer an easy way to provide adventurers
with information. The Spider can be a strong ally for
adventurers, and you can always arrange for an agent of
the Tyrants to step out of the shadows with and offer to
sell a secret.
The Tyrants could also have a long-term sinister
agenda-something they've been working on for gen
erations, which is only coming to fruition now. Do they
want to replace the entire city council of Sham, or are
their aspirations even higher than that? In a campaign
that examines this idea, the Tyrants might impersonate
the patrons and allies of the adventurers, thereby trick
ing them into carrying out questionable tasks.
The Tyrants can also serve as a group patron for a
party of adventurers, as described in chapter 1, espe
cially if the party includes one or more changelings. The
Tyrants Assignments table provides hooks for adventur
ers working with the organization, and the discussion of
crime syndicates in chapter 1 includes additional ideas.TYRANTS ASSIGNMENTS
d6 Assignment23456Kill an important figure without leaving evidence
behind so a member of the Tyrants can replace the
target.
Steal a formal badge of office or uniform for a mem
ber of the Tyrants to use as part of an assumed
identity.
Act as bodyguards for a member of the Tyrants who is
pretending to be an important figure.
Assume new identities to infiltrate the Sharn Watch
and steal criminal records.
Use incriminating information to blackmail a member
of the city council.
Find evidence that can be used to blackmail a mem
ber of a dragon marked house.TYRANTS ADVENTURE HOOKS
The Ty rants Adventure Hooks table presents ideas for
additional adventures themed around the Tyrants.TYRANTS ADVENTURE HOOKS
d6 Adventure Hook
A friendly NPC dies in combat. The corpse reveals its
true form to be that of a changeling.
2 A list of Tyrants agents and their identities exists
somewhere in Sharn. Every legitimate and criminal
organization in the city competes to find it.
3 The Shorn Inquisitive publishes an anonymous article
accusing several members of the Sharn Watch, the
city council, and the dragonmarked houses of being
changeling members of the Tyrants. The accused indi
viduals vehemently deny the claims.(^4) A shamed Brelish general of the Last War goes on a
killing spree against changelings, claiming the Tyrants
ruined his life by exposing his extramarital affair.
5 A Sharn Watch captain being blackmailed by the Ty
rants has had enough. He publicly exposes his incrim
inating secrets, then offers a reward for information
concerning the organization.
6 Roll on another organization's Adventure Hooks ta
ble; the Tyrants are secretly involved in the situation.
CHAPTER 4 I BUILDING EBERRON ADVENTURES
(^255)