Please help my Campaign

[Reptar]

I'm an inexperienced DM, it's my first time, and I'm running my players, most of whom are newbies too, through an Eberron campaign.
It's been going well. They've been in Sharn mostly but more recently they went out to get some fresh air and beat up a bunch of Peta gnomes. From their exploits their artificer got his half elf hands on a mini "practice" airship and I'm not sure where to to take the campaign next.

I've got a number of ideas from a flight to the middle of Xen'drik to crash landing in the Mournlands. But what I could really use help with is Ideas for new random encounters. Bandits don't work anymore and air pirates don't make sense, even in Eberron.

Please help me with some random aerial encounters.


Also if anyone knows where I can find a good Xen'drik dungeon, I'm horrible at making them.

[dsmiles]

Rocs are good for low-level aeiral encounters, so is a close brush with some spelljamming pirates or scro.

[hamishspence]

Aundair is not fond of aerial intruders- and has dragonhawk riders on patrol over its airspace.

There are quite a few flying monsters in the rules.

Is this 3.5 ed or 4th ed?

[Reptar]

3.5
And what's a scro? Or was it short for sorcerer?

The Roc sound's good, but I'll steer clear of spelljammer and I see no reason why they'll be headed to the elven continent anytime soon.
The main deterrent in the travel to Xen'drik seems to be the sahuagin, what would be their aerial equivalent?

[hamishspence]

Scro- Orcs backward- highly organized, disciplined, LE orcs of the Spelljammer setting.

Aundair is the realm ruled by Queen Aurala- right next to Breland.

Warforged Raptors might make a good Mournland flying adversary (Five Nations)- basically a warforged version of a roc.

I think Player's Guide to Eberron suggested that raptorans exist in Xendrik- Races of the Wild, but more gliders than flyers, unless at high level (6-9th level?)

Harpies from Droam might be a common flying enemy.

[Reptar]

oops got Aundair confused with Aerenal, I've been focused primarily with the Valenar elves.

I've been looking for flying constructs, but anything you guy's can recommend I'd appreciate.

[hamishspence]

For Eberron, the aforementioned Warforged Raptor (I think 5 Nations may have it- if, not, I'll check the other books.)

For standard D&D- I think there are a few in the later Monster Manuals.

Top of the CR list, for flying constructs, is the Anaxim- CR about 20- Epic Handbook- Abomination, normally created by Smith-type deities- but could be an experimental creation or Cyre.

While most constructs don't come with built-in flight- you could take an ordinary construct and give it magic items.

A Nimblewright (MM2) on a Broom of flying (or wearing a cape of flying)- for example- only when it gets really close, might the players spot its true nature. Plus it's intelligent- so has an excuse to use good tactics.

[Reptar]

Thanks a bunch these are all great ideas.
I think I'm set for their trip over the Mournlands, any ideas for evil flying fish?

[hamishspence]

Terlens in Fiend Folio- imagine a shark, with unusually broad mouth, and massive pectoral fins. They're extraplanar though.

They can swim but, as written, don't have the aquatic subtype- meaning they can't breathe underwater.

EDIT: Also, apparently it's The Forge of War that has the Warforged Raptor- which is CR8. Five Nations has the Steel Kraken- its water counterpart.

MMIV has the Clockwork Mender, which is a bit low level to pose any threat- though swarms are slightly more dangerous at CR3.