Aug 2, 2021 9:26 pm
Hi Players,
Thanks for joining me on this journey to Xen'drik and the Thunder Sea.
We begin a journey into a world of swashbuckling adventure; a world of draconic prophecies; a land and sea of mystery and alien rituals; and an untamed continent and ocean wild.
Begin your journey by reading the introduction to Eberron: Rising from the Last War. The more that you ready from Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of this book, the more you will enjoy our campaign.
You can also read Exploring Eberron for additional context, and there are character options potentially available to you in that book that you can leverage, also.
One final place for some quick inspiration into the world of Eberron would be to listen to a series of short Youtube videos created by Jorphdan (the "ph" is silent), explaining some Eberron lore quickly and entertainingly.
CHARACTER OPTIONS:
Use this link to add your character sheet to my DNDBeyond campaign.
Character Level: You will all start at level 3 for this adventure. Multiclassing and feats are allowed for this game.
Attributes: Attributes will be handled with the standard 27-point buy system presented in Chapter 1 of the Player's Handbook.
Races: You can choose any races from the Player's Handbook, Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and Exploring Eberron. This includes the variant human as an option.
Classes: You can choose any class options from any official WOTC source (no UA). You may also choose class options available in Exploring Eberron, as well as the extra class features offered in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
Backgrounds: You can use the backgrounds presented in any official WOTC source.
Instead of stressing about the personality traits presented in the background, focus on the mechanics of the background.
Now, under "Personality Traits", I want you to select two positive personality ideas that make up your character.Now, under "Flaws", I want you to select two negative aspects that relate to the two personality ideas that you chose for your character.As an example, if my cleric's "personality traits" are patience and optimism, then as "flaws" I could choose indecisiveness and naivety for him.
Once those traits are selected, I want you to write a "significant memory" (a paragraph-long moment in the character's life that stuck with the character and defined them in this way, leveraging the background chosen to help frame the paragraph). You can choose one paragraph to encapsulate all of his or her "personality traits" and "flaws", or you can provide a "significant memory" for each one individually.For "Ideals" and "Bonds", select from the options given from your background, or use your own that fits narratively. Then create separate "significant memories" for each of those options.
Starting Equipment: You select your starting equipment based on your 1st level class. You also start with an additional 60 gold pieces, above your starting monies with your starting equipment.
You can swap out items from your selections there for their monetary value found in the Player's Handbook, and then purchase non-magical items available in the Player's Handbook.
You start with 2 potions of healing (2d4+2 hp) as magic items.
House Rules:
- Flexible Racial Attribute. When you select a race with attribute bonuses, you can apply one of your +1 bonuses to any attribute, rather than those described in your race. You cannot apply this bonus to an attribute that you are already boosting with another racial attribute.
- Burgeoning Heroes. Each character begins with 5 extra hit points.
- Devastating Critical Hits. On a critical hit, roll the appropriate damage dice once instead of twice. Damage is calculated as the maximum value of the dice, plus the rolled result, plus the modifiers to damage at the end.
- Sundered Shields. When a creature wearing a non-magical shield is hit by a melee weapon attack, they can choose to have their shield destroyed and take no damage from the attack. They must make this choice before damage dice are rolled.
- Variant Encumbrance. We will be utilizing the Variant Encumbrance rules presented in Chapter 7 of the Player's Handbook.
- Variant Inspiration. Here is how we will manage inspiration.
Thanks for joining me on this journey to Xen'drik and the Thunder Sea.
We begin a journey into a world of swashbuckling adventure; a world of draconic prophecies; a land and sea of mystery and alien rituals; and an untamed continent and ocean wild.
Begin your journey by reading the introduction to Eberron: Rising from the Last War. The more that you ready from Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of this book, the more you will enjoy our campaign.
You can also read Exploring Eberron for additional context, and there are character options potentially available to you in that book that you can leverage, also.
One final place for some quick inspiration into the world of Eberron would be to listen to a series of short Youtube videos created by Jorphdan (the "ph" is silent), explaining some Eberron lore quickly and entertainingly.
CHARACTER OPTIONS:
Use this link to add your character sheet to my DNDBeyond campaign.
Character Level: You will all start at level 3 for this adventure. Multiclassing and feats are allowed for this game.
Attributes: Attributes will be handled with the standard 27-point buy system presented in Chapter 1 of the Player's Handbook.
Races: You can choose any races from the Player's Handbook, Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and Exploring Eberron. This includes the variant human as an option.
Classes: You can choose any class options from any official WOTC source (no UA). You may also choose class options available in Exploring Eberron, as well as the extra class features offered in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
Backgrounds: You can use the backgrounds presented in any official WOTC source.
Instead of stressing about the personality traits presented in the background, focus on the mechanics of the background.
Now, under "Personality Traits", I want you to select two positive personality ideas that make up your character.
[ +- ] Some examples are...
Assertiveness, Generosity, Loyalty, Devotion, Kindness, Sincerity, Temperance, Patience, Peacefulness, Faithfulness, Determination, Persistence, Adventurousness, Fairness, Cooperation, Tolerance, Optimism, Honesty
[ +- ] Some examples are...
Dishonesty, Disloyalty, Unkindness, Meanness, Rudeness, Disrespectfulness, Impatience, Greed, Abrasiveness, Cruelty, Merciless, Narcissism, Obnoxiousness, Malicious, Pettiness, Quarrelsome, Caustic, Selfishness, Unforgiving, Untrusting
Once those traits are selected, I want you to write a "significant memory" (a paragraph-long moment in the character's life that stuck with the character and defined them in this way, leveraging the background chosen to help frame the paragraph). You can choose one paragraph to encapsulate all of his or her "personality traits" and "flaws", or you can provide a "significant memory" for each one individually.
[ +- ] Example 'Significant Memory'
Gryndorf, the tiefling peace-domain cleric of Boldrei, was an acolyte within the temple of the Sovereign Host in the nation of Aundair at the end of the Last War. While performing his religious duties during the Last War in Aundair, some warforged souls went AWOL and requested shelter and asylum. Though he knew what they were doing was illegal, he knew that they were sentient, and he took it upon himself to hide them and provide for them for a month while they devised a plan to escape safely. He also believes that there is a spark of good in all creatures, and he actively seeks this good in all, even though one of the deserting warforged stole some important silver holy relics from the temple, and he caught them in the act, but chose to not confront them about their theft.
Starting Equipment: You select your starting equipment based on your 1st level class. You also start with an additional 60 gold pieces, above your starting monies with your starting equipment.
You can swap out items from your selections there for their monetary value found in the Player's Handbook, and then purchase non-magical items available in the Player's Handbook.
You start with 2 potions of healing (2d4+2 hp) as magic items.
House Rules:
- Flexible Racial Attribute. When you select a race with attribute bonuses, you can apply one of your +1 bonuses to any attribute, rather than those described in your race. You cannot apply this bonus to an attribute that you are already boosting with another racial attribute.
- Burgeoning Heroes. Each character begins with 5 extra hit points.
- Devastating Critical Hits. On a critical hit, roll the appropriate damage dice once instead of twice. Damage is calculated as the maximum value of the dice, plus the rolled result, plus the modifiers to damage at the end.
- Sundered Shields. When a creature wearing a non-magical shield is hit by a melee weapon attack, they can choose to have their shield destroyed and take no damage from the attack. They must make this choice before damage dice are rolled.
- Variant Encumbrance. We will be utilizing the Variant Encumbrance rules presented in Chapter 7 of the Player's Handbook.
- Variant Inspiration. Here is how we will manage inspiration.
[ +- ] Variant Inspiration
Inspiration can be used to boost an "Inspired Action", which gives advantage on an ability check or saving throw related to one of your personality traits.
Whenever you use an "Inspired Action", check off the inspiration marker on your character sheet, and check one of your "stress markers".
You can always take a "penalty" related to your flaws, which applies disadvantage to an ability check or saving throw; when you willingly take a penalty, you can remove one of your "stress markers".
If your "stress markers" tracker is full, then you must indicate so to the DM. He then reserves the right to apply a "stress setback" to your character or the party at a moment of his choosing. When that event occurs, you can clear your "stress marker" tracker.
Whenever you use an "Inspired Action", check off the inspiration marker on your character sheet, and check one of your "stress markers".
You can always take a "penalty" related to your flaws, which applies disadvantage to an ability check or saving throw; when you willingly take a penalty, you can remove one of your "stress markers".
If your "stress markers" tracker is full, then you must indicate so to the DM. He then reserves the right to apply a "stress setback" to your character or the party at a moment of his choosing. When that event occurs, you can clear your "stress marker" tracker.
[ +- ] Inspiration Example
Gryndorf is optimistic, and I want advantage on convincing a NPC that nothing bad will happen with our plan, and they should go with it for X, Y, and Z reasons. My persuasion roll now gains advantage, and my "stress marker" gets checked off.
I cannot use my inspired action to help Gryndorf, unless I can justify how that behavior fits my personality trait in some way.
I can also apply a setback, saying that Gryndorf's naivety does not allow him to appropriately know the motivations of the merchant he is negotiating with, and willingly take disadvantage on the insight roll.
Now, if Gryndorf's "stress marker" tracker is full, I now have to notify the DM of said event. The DM puts that in his back pocket, and later on, while we are at a crucial chase in a maze, and the party is running from a pack of minotaurs, and Gryndorf arrives at a crossroads in the maze, the DM may pull out a "stress setback", where Gryndorf has a mental crisis and he doesn't trust his own judgment for a time, resulting in disadvantage on wisdom and intelligence saving throws for the rest of the session.
I cannot use my inspired action to help Gryndorf, unless I can justify how that behavior fits my personality trait in some way.
I can also apply a setback, saying that Gryndorf's naivety does not allow him to appropriately know the motivations of the merchant he is negotiating with, and willingly take disadvantage on the insight roll.
Now, if Gryndorf's "stress marker" tracker is full, I now have to notify the DM of said event. The DM puts that in his back pocket, and later on, while we are at a crucial chase in a maze, and the party is running from a pack of minotaurs, and Gryndorf arrives at a crossroads in the maze, the DM may pull out a "stress setback", where Gryndorf has a mental crisis and he doesn't trust his own judgment for a time, resulting in disadvantage on wisdom and intelligence saving throws for the rest of the session.
