Eberron - Rising from the Last War

90

NEWTHRONE

Ll�Gll

THIRTEEN DEAD

IN BLACKSCALE

SLAUGHTER!

Ve nturing unusually far from their accustomed territory

in the eastern jungles, a band of enormous lizardfolk­

described by local experts as members of the Blackscale

Tr ibe-broke through the fortifications at Adderport

and killed thirteen residents before retreating back into

the jungles. Khalar d'Tharashk has announced a plan to

track the perpetrators and exact retribution under the

sponsorship of King Se bastes.

BUILD YOUR GROUP

A military unit, like most adventuring parties, incorpo­

rates a range of useful skills while covering each mem­

ber's weaknesses with another's strengths. Thus, char­

acters of any class can find a home in such a unit, and a

diversity of different skills and backgrounds benefits the

group as a whole. Consider some or all of these roles for

characters in your party:

Commander. Every band of infantry has its leader,

even if that person isn't a officer. The Commander

earns that position through some combination of

high Charisma and Intelligence-the ability to inspire

and the capacity to plan. Proficiency in skills such as

Persuasion and History can be helpful as well. The

Commander might be a career soldier (with that back­

ground) or someone from a noble background placed

in command by virtue of birth. A Commander might

be a fighter, bard, cleric, paladin, or even wizard-as

magic proves valuable in military engagements.

Medic. Keeping soldiers alive is essential to military

success, and that's the Medic's job. In an elite unit of

adventurers, the Medic is often a cleric or has another

class with healing ability, but these characters are

also often proficient in the Medicine skill or use of a

herbalism kit. A Medic can be a soldier who demon­

strated aptitude in healing and got moved into this

position, or a character from a different background

(such as acolyte, sage, or even hermit) who decided to

put medical expertise to military use.

Scout. Trained in navigating the wilderness and laying

ambushes for enemy soldiers, the Scout melds the

combat skill of a fighter with the skills of a ranger or

rogue. High Dexterity and Wisdom scores, combined

with proficiency in the Nature, Perception, Stealth,

and Survival skills, support this character's core ca­

pabilities. Scouts are often recruited from people who

are more familiar with the wilds than with city streets,

including folk heroes, hermits, and outlanders.

CHAPTER l I CHARACTER CREATION

Soldier. Soldiers make up the core of most military

groups, whether they're general infantry, magical ar­

tillery, or elite special forces. These characters come

from all classes and backgrounds-for some, their

background before joining the military is more import­

ant than their current role. No particular set of talents

is common to all soldiers, but military units often

strive to avoid duplication of skills.

Warforged. Literally made for war, most warforged

characters have spent the years since the end of the

Last War trying to find a new way of life. For some

warforged, the answer is to continue fighting the war

one way or another, often as part of an organized mili­

tary unit. This experience, as a people created to fulfill

a role and now seemingly locked into a destructive

destiny, is just a part of life for many warforged.

MILITARY MISS IONS

The work involved in serving as a military unit is

wide-ranging. Your missions potentially run the risk of

shattering the fragile peace established by the Treaty

of Thronehold and plunging all of Khorvaire back into

war. Alternatively, you might consider running your

campaign during the Last War, so your group's missions

influence the war effort and don't risk violating the

treaty. As a group, consider the options on the Military

Missions table and work with your DM to decide how

the work you do fits into the larger picture of war and

peace in Khorvaire.

MILITARY MISSIONS

d6 Missions

Strike Force. You are trained to make quick, strategic,

devastating attacks against enemy assets.

2 Special Forces. You're trained in covert operations, simi­

lar to the work of spies but with more focus on combat.

3 Defensive Operations. Your focus is on protecting your

alli es from attackers, monsters, or deadlier enemies.

4 Reconnaissance. Your missions involve keeping track of

enemy troops and surveying potential battlefields.

5 Peacekeeping. Your paradoxical task is to maintain the

fragile peace of the Treaty ofThronehold by maintaining

a military presence in turbulent areas.

6 Warforged Affairs. Yo u are responsible for hunting down

berserk warforged, working in the gray spaces between

national order and a people seeking their destiny.

DEFINING MISSION

You were there at a crucial moment that turned the tide

of the Last War. Choose or roll an option on the Defin­

ing Mission table to determine what that moment was.

DEFINING MISSION

d6 Mission

Heroic Stand. You knew if you took one step back from

the line, all would be lost. When relief arrived days

later, you had not budged.

2 Telling Blow. The enemy general never knew what hit

them. You still carry their personal flag as a trophy.