Eberron - Rising from the Last War

(Jeff_L) #1

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.
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