Eberron Rising From the Last War

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.