Eberron - Rising from the Last War

(Joyce) #1

8


REMARKABLE VILLAINS
Eberron is rich in villains, from two-bit hoods to con­
tinental masterminds. It might be a long time before
you're ready to face the sinister leader behind the
Order of the Emerald Claw in battle. But part of the
flavor of pulp adventure includes recurring villains who
closely match the heroes-rivals who advance in power
as you do.

WELCOME TO EB ERRON

To create a compelling villain, the DM and players
might develop a villain's backstory together. ADM might
ask a player: When you fought in the Last War, Halas
Martain served in your unit until he betrayed you. What
did he do, exactly? Likewise, when a pulp villain appears
to die, they can devise remarkable escapes from death.
Perhaps Halas had a ring that cast an illusion of his
death while stabilizing him or cast feather fall when he
leapt from that tower in Sham. ADM could engage the
players in determining the answer: It's Halas Martain,
all right. How do you think he survived your last encoun­
ter? This collaboration can produce a compelling story
and a sense of investment in the world.

NOIR INTRIGUE
Eberron draws inspiration from noir and hard-boiled
fiction. It's a world where stories don't always end well,
and where there isn't a perfect solution for every prob­
lem. In developing characters or stories in Eberron, con­
sider the following concepts.

EVERYONE HAS REGRETS
Player characters are remarkable people, but they aren't
perfect. As you consider a flaw for your character, you
can add a little hard-boiled flavor by considering the
past: Did you make a tragic mistake, and if so, is it some­
thing you can ever undo? Did you hurt or betray some­
one who now seeks revenge? The Regrets table provides
a few examples of missteps that might haunt you.

REGRETS
dlO Regret
While you were serving in the Last War, you were
forced to abandon an injured comrade. You don't
know if they survived.
2 You placed your fa ith in a lover who betrayed you. You
don't know if you can ever trust anyone again.
3 You murdered a rival. Your actions may have been
justified, but their face still haunts you.
4 You made a promise to a child or a lover that you
failed to keep.
5 You squandered your family's fortune and brought
shame and ruin to your household.
6 You made a bargain with an extraplanar entity that
you now regret.
7 You abandoned your family to pursue a life of adven­
ture. Your village was destroyed in the war and you
don't know if they survived.
8 You engaged in covert operations for a nation as a spy
or soldier. While you were serving your country, you
did unforgivable things.
9 Someone put their trust in you and you betrayed
them for personal gain. You might regret it now, but
you can never repair the damage you've done.
10 You volunteered for mystical experiments. These may
be responsible for your class abilities, but you might
experience side effects.
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