3SecondCultist
2014-09-06, 05:03 PM
"After Mourning"
http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/3SecondCultist94/AfterMourning_zps31c90441.jpg
Welcome to another campaign log! This will be the single source of all game records for my campaign 'After Mourning' (pretty obvious). I tried to play this game on the forums, but unfortunately it didn't get past past the first dreadful combat. So I'm taking another crack at it! This time, it will be from a pen-and-paper angle, with my friends at school. I'm the DM (a role that I have historically filled for my friend group), and as such the campaign log will include not just the story, but also DMing matters - choices of planning, of the game in session, and other such matters. Sort of like a journal for my thought process, as it were.
Initial Notes:
1) The log assumes that you have some knowledge of the Eberron setting and general metaplot, so I won't be going into full details when it comes to certain topics. If that were the case, we would never get anywhere. So while there will be a bit of explanation if a new element is introduced, for the most part I won't be spending an abundance of time playing keep-up.
2) My group will only be playing this game about once every 2 weeks, which means that updates are somewhat long off. No one more than me wish I had a chance to update sooner!
3) I tend to write fairly extensively. Some people like it, some people don't. The setting blurb below is a pretty good example of how thorough I tend to be in these types of games. My players are familiar with my style, so they know what to expect from me. Everyone else: you have been warned.
In this first post, I will be outlining the differences between my setting and the average Eberron game, introducing my players and foreshadowing some of the elements to come. Those will be updated as we get closer to the start date, sometime around the 16th of September.
Background:
The year is 1057 YK, and Merrix d’Cannith - the last hope for Khorvaire - is dying.
The past decades have seen many changes across the surface of Eberron’s most populous continent. The mortal races have fought off the horrors of the Last War, a struggle for supremacy that tore apart what was once Galifar and cost the Five Nations thousands of lives. The last years of the war saw such momentous events such as the creation of the first warforged, among other great technological leaps at the hands of magewrights from dragonmarked houses like Orien, Lyrandar, and Cannith. Some of the world’s most prominent marvels in innovation surfaced under the spotlight of war.
But then the Day of Mourning came.
The sudden and shocking destruction of Cyre at unknown hands unleashed a swath of newfound death on an already bleeding continent. Tens of thousands of soldiers perished on all sides as the grey mists enveloped the dead country. The town of Whitehearth, which had been the center of Cannith ingenuity and invention for centuries, was lost overnight. What was once the shining heart of Khorvaire had become a living blight.
The times that followed were no less hard. The First Treaty of Thronehold officially ended the Last War in 996 YK, with the rulers of the Five Nations coming together to settle their differences. After more than a century of war, kings and soldiers alike would need to learn to live in a new and peaceful world. However, the next two years would showcase just how shortsighted the people of Khorvaire were, as faction upon power-hungry faction rose to challenge the status quo. The Aurum clashed with the Blood of Vol, the Emerald Claw sabotaged the workings of the Brelani Dark Lanterns, and the Lords of Dust sought to manipulate everything from the shadows. For some, the Last War never really ended – it had only just begun to evolve.
But in the waning days of Sypheros in 998 YK, one of the greatest fears of the modern age was realized: the Mournland began to grow. The wall of dead-gray mist that once clung to the borders of what used to be Cyre began to spread outwards and into the surrounding lands. Communities like Vathirond in Breland, Gorgon Horn in Darguun and Karrlakton in Karrnath were the first to fall to the mists. And soon after came all the horrors of the Mournland, from sickness to living death. The spirit of Cyre had returned, with a taste for vengeance of the highest order. The Mourning had begun.
Without delay, a second meeting of the leadership was called at Starilaskur in Breland, but to no avail. The political landscape had already shifted since the signing of the original Treaty, with outlying territories such as Aundair willing to let the other nations suffer if only to give themselves a better percentage. Each delegation saw only treachery wherever they looked. Many went home disappointed, each preparing to weather the coming storm in their own fashion.
What would follow was nearly a decade of continued infighting between the old powers of Galifar, even as the reach of the Mournland mists continued to grow beyond their original borders. The country of Thrane was hit particularly hard, as it was caught between the worst of the New Galifar war and the path of the Mourning. With the razing of both Flamekeep and Sigilstar and the increased subjugation from its hostile neighbors to the west, the country of Thrane effectively ceased to exist. The spirit of the Silver Flame had fought hard and long against its enemies, but even with the considerable powers of Jaela Daran, it was not enough. The Church was disbanded almost overnight, and thousands of Purified across Khorvaire were suddenly abandoned.
By the time the New Galifar War ended in 1020 YK, the damage had already been done. Thrane had officially ceased to exist as a sovereign state, the other three powers dividing up what was left. The Twelve did not last much longer, the various dragonmarked houses having already taken up sides in the war. The destruction of House Phiarlan in 1030 YK was, for many, the death knell of inter-house cooperation in Khorvaire. The loss was felt keenly across the continent, with many of the major enclaves shutting down. An undercurrent of fear and despair began to work its way through halls and taverns from Breland all the way to the Mror Holds. The Second Treaty of Thronehold was little more than a ceasefire. Everyone knew that when the fighting began again, there would be no stopping it. And all the while, the mists continued to spread out from the Mournland.
By the year 1050 YK, the Mourning had come to obliterate most of the continent. The attempts of the Mistmarch Committee were in vain: nearly everything west of Lake Galifar had been devoured. In the shadows, the lands of Khorvaire die a slow death. Rivers of broken glass erupt from the earth, and storms of dangerous magic mar the skies. And under the cover of twilight, monsters move unseen. Those who survive cling to the coastlines or flee the continent entirely, many heading to Aerenal or to Stormreach in Xen’drik. However, there are those who believe that Khorvaire is not yet lost.
First and foremost among these ‘champions’ is none other than Baron Merrix d’Cannith. Having consolidated his power base in Sharn after taking over the house from his cousins, he set about working to counteract the Mourning. With the Thronehold Accords gone, he engineered an entire workforce of new warforged who could function in the mists. With the approval of the Wynarn Protectorate, Merrix began construction over an immense fortification that spanned from Zilspar to Shadowlock Keep: the Aeon Wall. Built from millions of tons of stone and metal and thousands of contained air elementals in special turbines, it provided a bulwark against the encroach of the mists.
However, even Merrix knew that eventually, the Mourning would consume the last major human stronghold on Khorvaire, and he was already past his prime. Sending dozens of new expeditions into Xen’drik, Merrix looked for another solution. He soon shut himself away from public life. Rumors grew, that behind the closed doors of Cannith Tower, Merrix had begun to work on a new and secretive project.
Now, on the eve of his death, he has summoned to his side a group of the most unlikely people imaginable...
Timeline of Khorvaire, circa 994-1057 YK:
994 YK – Cyre is destroyed and the Mournland is created.
996 YK – The Treaty of Thronehold officially ends the Last War. The treaty officially recognizes the nations of Aundair, Breland, Thrane, Karrnath, the Talenta Plains, Zilargo, Q’barra, the Lhazaar Principalities, the Mror Holds, the Eldeen Reaches, Darguun, and Valenar. House Cannith is ordered to destroy all creation forges; the remaining warforged are granted the rights of sentient beings.
998 YK – The Mourning begins: mists from the Mournland spread out into the border regions of Thrane, the Talenta Plains, Valenar, Darguun, Zilargo, and Breland. The leaders of the Five Nations convene a second meeting at Starilaskur to discuss possible solutions, but ultimately no consensus is reached. On her way home, Queen Aurala disappears without a trace and First Warlord Adal becomes the new King of Aundair.
1000 YK – King Boranel suddenly steps down from the throne of Breland, and Lord Ruken ir’Clarn of the Breland Parliament takes control over the country from Wroat to Cragwar. Under the guidance of Sharn, the southern Brelish cities of quickly form the Wynarn Protectorate in protest of this new ‘upstart dictator’.
1001 YK – The Inspired of Sarlona launch their first assault on the shores of Argonnessen.
1002 YK – Expansionist forces under Adal’s new leadership move to occupy the Thaliost region of Thrane, and move into Rekkenmark in Karrnath. In response, both countries declare war on Aundair but Ruken’s Breland steps in to defend its new ally. Tensions heat up once more, as Khorvaire readies itself for another major conflict.
1003 YK – After a failed attempt at reconciliation, the First Treaty of Thronehold is renounced and the New Galifar War begins across northern Khorvaire. Most of the fighting takes place on Thrane’s soil, as it stands between the major fighting forces. As a result of the dissolution of the Thronehold Accords, the dragonmarked houses openly take a side in the conflict. Houses Cannith, Orien, Phiarlan, and Lyrandar declare for the western powers of Breland and Aundair, while Houses Deneith, Sivis, Thuranni, and Jorasco fight for Thrane and Karrnath.
1006 YK – Ruken attempts to send a secret army through the Mourning Mists north of Lake Brey in order to outmaneuver Thrane’s defenses, but his army disappears. With the explicit approval of both Arcanix and the University of Wynarn, all territories in Thrane south of Lessyk are considered ‘lost’ to the Mournland. Ruken commissions Merrix d’Cannith to use his creation forge in Sharn to build a new army of warforged.
1010 YK – The Harmonious Shield of Sarlona moves into the Adaran strongholds of Shalquar and Tashalatora.
1012 YK – The combined Brelish-Aundairian forces sack the cities of Athandra, Sigilstar, and Flamekeep and expand their own borders to include the majority of western Thrane. Their greatest stronghold lost and most of their power gone, Jaela Daran and her Diet of Cardinals officially disband the Church of the Silver Flame.
1014 YK – A wave of warforged fighters emerges from the Mournland, led by the Lord of Blades. They move into northern Darguun, singlehandedly wiping out the population of Skullreave before retreating back to Gorgonhorn. The goblinoid army that follows them into the mists does not return.
1015 YK – Under the growing pressures of the New Galifar War and increasing hostilities between the other dragonmarked houses, Baron Ulara d’Jorasco and her house secede from the Twelve. Gathering together various fragments of what used to be the Church of the Silver Flame, House Jorasco forms the Mithral Guard: a league of paladins and healers who devote themselves to putting an end to the New Galifar War.
1016 YK – With the Shroud of Adar weakened, the Harmonious Shield launches a full assault on Adar from footholds within the mountains and massacres over half of the country's population. Only the dragons of Korrandar halt the complete annihilation of the kalashtar.
1018 YK – Further signs of the mist spread further across the continent, and show no signs of stopping. Lurching Tower, Kennrun, and New Cyre in Breland are all devoured. Many of the Cyran refugees, distrusting Ruken’s administration, lead many of the newly disenfranchised Brelish down to join the Wynarn Protectorate. The Inspired of Sarlona launch their second assault on Argonnessen, establishing an island base off of the Claws of Kylarys.
1020 YK – King Kaius III meets King Adal on the field of battle, the vampire defeating the Aundairian ruler on the field of battle and taking him hostage. Aundair is forced to sue for peace, despite their joint victories with Breland. The New Galifar War officially ends with the Second Treaty of Thronehold. The remaining territories of Thrane are divided up between Breland, Aundair, and Karrnath.
1021 YK – The Mistmarch Committee is formed between the academic bodies of the Arcanix and the University of Wynarn to monitor and reverse the Mourning.
1024 YK – In an event later known as the 'Night of Twisted Shadows', House Thuranni obliterates House Phiarlan by striking its five artistic demesnes simultaneously. The bond of the Twelve finally collapses under the strain of its house rivalries.
1026 YK – The Inspired of Sarlona launch their third assault on Argonnessen, striking at the Valley of the Three. In response, the Conclave declares war on the Inspired and their followers. The Light of Siberys launches a full-scale assault on Sarlona, setting fire to most of mainland Rierdra, including the regions of Dor Maleer, Khalesh and Rhiavaar.
1030 YK – Having outcompeted his rivals Jorlanna and Zorlan in the New Galifar War, Merrix officially becomes the new Baron of House Cannith. His first act is to abandon Ruken and join the Wynarn Protectorate. Construction on the Aeon Wall begins.
1038 YK – The mists reach as far as Woodhelm, the Endworld Mountains, Oskilor, and the Karrnwood in Karrnath. Kaius III, faced with the utter destruction of his people, begins to move into the Mror Holds. The Ironroot War begins.
1039 YK – Construction on the Aeon Wall is completed.
1042 YK – The Ironroot War ends as High Priest Malevanor betrays and kills Kaius, and the main Karrnathi force is defeated outside Krona Peak.
1046 YK – The Mourning takes Trolanport, and many Zilargo gnomes flee to join the Wynarn Protectorate in southern Breland.
1048 YK – The Lord of Blades leads his armies to the gates of Passage, sacking the city and claiming all territory west of Lake Galifar as his own.
1053 YK – The mists reach the Aeon Wall.
1057 YK – The campaign begins…
The Player Characters:
The somewhat unique parameters of this game demand that each of the players create two characters rather than one: the first will be inhabiting the 'bad future' Eberron that I've outlined, while the second will be caught up in the whirlwinds of the Last War. Don't worry if it's confusing right now - it'll all be explained once the plot of the game gets rolling and things start to develop along their natural (scripted) course. I've also asked them to use Mythweavers, so anyone reading this log will be able to look at the cross-sections. Each character - both Past and Present - is using a 32 point buy system to generate stats.
Nick - Alistair Duskwhisper (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=860660) / Regis Strongheart (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1008177)
Nick's Present character is Alastair Duskwhisper, a gnome from Zilargo who has had several brushes with the pernicious influence of Dal Quor, the realm of dreams. His uncle Xoryn unfortunately brought the wrath of the Quori upon his family, resulting in a particularly scarred gnome with a penchant for using the same glamers against his enemies. Alistair fills a niche role in the Present party roster, as an arcane spellcaster and an effective battlefield controller. His specialty is using fear in order to dominate the battlefield and scare off entire scores of enemies at the same time. In its time of need, House Cannith has called upon this gifted prodigy for their secret project.
Nick's Past character uses entirely different mechanics. As Regis Strongheart, he puts his monastic and stealth-based training to use outmaneuvering his enemies. A mysterious halfling with no past to speak of, his is a face one might pass on the street and never look at twice. An extremely skilled infiltrator and ranged combat specialist, Regis primarily uses shurikens to incapacitate or kill anyone standing in his way. Recently, Colonel Haldren ir'Brassek has sought Regis out, as he is need of someone who can get past surveillance systems unseen.
Cameron - Oloren (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=30174) / Myrra (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=29865)
Cameron's Present character Oloren is a goliath, a creature native to the Plane of Earth. Oloren spent a great deal of his time fighting for the Church of the Silver Flame in the Last War, only to have lost his faith in that fraternity. Haunted, lost, and uncertain about his place in the world, he has become disillusioned with his role as a fighter for the faith in the face of the mists. And yet every day he prays, and every day something answers him. It gives him the will to fight on. So when he is summoned by House Cannith, Oloren gladly accepts the opportunity to help.
In the Past, Cameron is playing as Myrra, a changeling psion whose specialty is taking on a host of different forms. Her body is as mutable as it is versatile, adapting to any given situation.Myrra believes change is a natural process, but she does change unnaturally quickly. Myrra is energetic, gregarious, talkative, friendly, and likely to burn your face off when she gets bored. Nothing fazes her, and she doesn't take anything very seriously. Winning the game of life comes through new experiences.
Andrew - Havernath (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1010752) / Wayland Thurston (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1007727)
Havernath has the unfortunate honor of being one of the last living kalashtar in Eberron. As the mountain refuge of Adar was all but wiped out by Rierdra, many of the remaining kalashtar on Khorvaire banded together into new communes. Havernath is the product of this new social order, shrouded in equal parts sorrow and stoic aloofness. He is also a powerful psion, who specializes in creating new life out of ectoplasmic forms. He isn't much of a conversationalist, and yet he has been placed in charge of one of the kalashtar reserves operating out of Sharn.
Brother Wayland Thurston, on the other hand, does not possess any of Havernath's sober sanity. Thurston used to live and teach amongst the villages of the Eldeen Reaches, until Aundairan rebels began to infiltrate the homes of the Reaches. Fire and death followed swiftly behind, in the form of special forces squadrons. Thurston only barely escaped with his life, although the grief of his loved ones' passing proved too much, and he spiraled into madness. Now he has turned his divine magic towards a more incomprehensible end.
Robbie - Anastasia ir'Kade (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=30146) / Laan (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=27434)
Robbie's Present character Anastasia is a scholar first and foremost. She has spent a great deal of her life involved with the Mistmarch Committee, investigating the origins and influence of the Mourning as it has spread across the continent. As a premier cosmologist, her specialty is in breaching the borders between the planes in order to call otherworldly hosts to her side. After the collapse of the Committee, Anastasia delved deeper into her own diabolic studies, eventually becoming one of the foremost experts on conjuration.
Laan - Robbie's character in the Past - was born to a chosen family in Rierdra's holdings on Xen'drik, and was something of a failed experiment from birth. He has no psionic abilities, but he developed an aberrant dragonmark in his teens that has only grown over time. Escaping from home, he fell in with a group of pirates from Khorvaire and soon made his way to that continent as a mercenary in the Last War. He fights with no weapons, preferring to use his finely honed martial arts skills to take down any obstacles in his way.
Read on for the session notes! People who are reading are more than welcome to make comments if they so choose. Any and all feedback is appreciated. :smallsmile:
http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag75/3SecondCultist94/AfterMourning_zps31c90441.jpg
Welcome to another campaign log! This will be the single source of all game records for my campaign 'After Mourning' (pretty obvious). I tried to play this game on the forums, but unfortunately it didn't get past past the first dreadful combat. So I'm taking another crack at it! This time, it will be from a pen-and-paper angle, with my friends at school. I'm the DM (a role that I have historically filled for my friend group), and as such the campaign log will include not just the story, but also DMing matters - choices of planning, of the game in session, and other such matters. Sort of like a journal for my thought process, as it were.
Initial Notes:
1) The log assumes that you have some knowledge of the Eberron setting and general metaplot, so I won't be going into full details when it comes to certain topics. If that were the case, we would never get anywhere. So while there will be a bit of explanation if a new element is introduced, for the most part I won't be spending an abundance of time playing keep-up.
2) My group will only be playing this game about once every 2 weeks, which means that updates are somewhat long off. No one more than me wish I had a chance to update sooner!
3) I tend to write fairly extensively. Some people like it, some people don't. The setting blurb below is a pretty good example of how thorough I tend to be in these types of games. My players are familiar with my style, so they know what to expect from me. Everyone else: you have been warned.
In this first post, I will be outlining the differences between my setting and the average Eberron game, introducing my players and foreshadowing some of the elements to come. Those will be updated as we get closer to the start date, sometime around the 16th of September.
Background:
The year is 1057 YK, and Merrix d’Cannith - the last hope for Khorvaire - is dying.
The past decades have seen many changes across the surface of Eberron’s most populous continent. The mortal races have fought off the horrors of the Last War, a struggle for supremacy that tore apart what was once Galifar and cost the Five Nations thousands of lives. The last years of the war saw such momentous events such as the creation of the first warforged, among other great technological leaps at the hands of magewrights from dragonmarked houses like Orien, Lyrandar, and Cannith. Some of the world’s most prominent marvels in innovation surfaced under the spotlight of war.
But then the Day of Mourning came.
The sudden and shocking destruction of Cyre at unknown hands unleashed a swath of newfound death on an already bleeding continent. Tens of thousands of soldiers perished on all sides as the grey mists enveloped the dead country. The town of Whitehearth, which had been the center of Cannith ingenuity and invention for centuries, was lost overnight. What was once the shining heart of Khorvaire had become a living blight.
The times that followed were no less hard. The First Treaty of Thronehold officially ended the Last War in 996 YK, with the rulers of the Five Nations coming together to settle their differences. After more than a century of war, kings and soldiers alike would need to learn to live in a new and peaceful world. However, the next two years would showcase just how shortsighted the people of Khorvaire were, as faction upon power-hungry faction rose to challenge the status quo. The Aurum clashed with the Blood of Vol, the Emerald Claw sabotaged the workings of the Brelani Dark Lanterns, and the Lords of Dust sought to manipulate everything from the shadows. For some, the Last War never really ended – it had only just begun to evolve.
But in the waning days of Sypheros in 998 YK, one of the greatest fears of the modern age was realized: the Mournland began to grow. The wall of dead-gray mist that once clung to the borders of what used to be Cyre began to spread outwards and into the surrounding lands. Communities like Vathirond in Breland, Gorgon Horn in Darguun and Karrlakton in Karrnath were the first to fall to the mists. And soon after came all the horrors of the Mournland, from sickness to living death. The spirit of Cyre had returned, with a taste for vengeance of the highest order. The Mourning had begun.
Without delay, a second meeting of the leadership was called at Starilaskur in Breland, but to no avail. The political landscape had already shifted since the signing of the original Treaty, with outlying territories such as Aundair willing to let the other nations suffer if only to give themselves a better percentage. Each delegation saw only treachery wherever they looked. Many went home disappointed, each preparing to weather the coming storm in their own fashion.
What would follow was nearly a decade of continued infighting between the old powers of Galifar, even as the reach of the Mournland mists continued to grow beyond their original borders. The country of Thrane was hit particularly hard, as it was caught between the worst of the New Galifar war and the path of the Mourning. With the razing of both Flamekeep and Sigilstar and the increased subjugation from its hostile neighbors to the west, the country of Thrane effectively ceased to exist. The spirit of the Silver Flame had fought hard and long against its enemies, but even with the considerable powers of Jaela Daran, it was not enough. The Church was disbanded almost overnight, and thousands of Purified across Khorvaire were suddenly abandoned.
By the time the New Galifar War ended in 1020 YK, the damage had already been done. Thrane had officially ceased to exist as a sovereign state, the other three powers dividing up what was left. The Twelve did not last much longer, the various dragonmarked houses having already taken up sides in the war. The destruction of House Phiarlan in 1030 YK was, for many, the death knell of inter-house cooperation in Khorvaire. The loss was felt keenly across the continent, with many of the major enclaves shutting down. An undercurrent of fear and despair began to work its way through halls and taverns from Breland all the way to the Mror Holds. The Second Treaty of Thronehold was little more than a ceasefire. Everyone knew that when the fighting began again, there would be no stopping it. And all the while, the mists continued to spread out from the Mournland.
By the year 1050 YK, the Mourning had come to obliterate most of the continent. The attempts of the Mistmarch Committee were in vain: nearly everything west of Lake Galifar had been devoured. In the shadows, the lands of Khorvaire die a slow death. Rivers of broken glass erupt from the earth, and storms of dangerous magic mar the skies. And under the cover of twilight, monsters move unseen. Those who survive cling to the coastlines or flee the continent entirely, many heading to Aerenal or to Stormreach in Xen’drik. However, there are those who believe that Khorvaire is not yet lost.
First and foremost among these ‘champions’ is none other than Baron Merrix d’Cannith. Having consolidated his power base in Sharn after taking over the house from his cousins, he set about working to counteract the Mourning. With the Thronehold Accords gone, he engineered an entire workforce of new warforged who could function in the mists. With the approval of the Wynarn Protectorate, Merrix began construction over an immense fortification that spanned from Zilspar to Shadowlock Keep: the Aeon Wall. Built from millions of tons of stone and metal and thousands of contained air elementals in special turbines, it provided a bulwark against the encroach of the mists.
However, even Merrix knew that eventually, the Mourning would consume the last major human stronghold on Khorvaire, and he was already past his prime. Sending dozens of new expeditions into Xen’drik, Merrix looked for another solution. He soon shut himself away from public life. Rumors grew, that behind the closed doors of Cannith Tower, Merrix had begun to work on a new and secretive project.
Now, on the eve of his death, he has summoned to his side a group of the most unlikely people imaginable...
Timeline of Khorvaire, circa 994-1057 YK:
994 YK – Cyre is destroyed and the Mournland is created.
996 YK – The Treaty of Thronehold officially ends the Last War. The treaty officially recognizes the nations of Aundair, Breland, Thrane, Karrnath, the Talenta Plains, Zilargo, Q’barra, the Lhazaar Principalities, the Mror Holds, the Eldeen Reaches, Darguun, and Valenar. House Cannith is ordered to destroy all creation forges; the remaining warforged are granted the rights of sentient beings.
998 YK – The Mourning begins: mists from the Mournland spread out into the border regions of Thrane, the Talenta Plains, Valenar, Darguun, Zilargo, and Breland. The leaders of the Five Nations convene a second meeting at Starilaskur to discuss possible solutions, but ultimately no consensus is reached. On her way home, Queen Aurala disappears without a trace and First Warlord Adal becomes the new King of Aundair.
1000 YK – King Boranel suddenly steps down from the throne of Breland, and Lord Ruken ir’Clarn of the Breland Parliament takes control over the country from Wroat to Cragwar. Under the guidance of Sharn, the southern Brelish cities of quickly form the Wynarn Protectorate in protest of this new ‘upstart dictator’.
1001 YK – The Inspired of Sarlona launch their first assault on the shores of Argonnessen.
1002 YK – Expansionist forces under Adal’s new leadership move to occupy the Thaliost region of Thrane, and move into Rekkenmark in Karrnath. In response, both countries declare war on Aundair but Ruken’s Breland steps in to defend its new ally. Tensions heat up once more, as Khorvaire readies itself for another major conflict.
1003 YK – After a failed attempt at reconciliation, the First Treaty of Thronehold is renounced and the New Galifar War begins across northern Khorvaire. Most of the fighting takes place on Thrane’s soil, as it stands between the major fighting forces. As a result of the dissolution of the Thronehold Accords, the dragonmarked houses openly take a side in the conflict. Houses Cannith, Orien, Phiarlan, and Lyrandar declare for the western powers of Breland and Aundair, while Houses Deneith, Sivis, Thuranni, and Jorasco fight for Thrane and Karrnath.
1006 YK – Ruken attempts to send a secret army through the Mourning Mists north of Lake Brey in order to outmaneuver Thrane’s defenses, but his army disappears. With the explicit approval of both Arcanix and the University of Wynarn, all territories in Thrane south of Lessyk are considered ‘lost’ to the Mournland. Ruken commissions Merrix d’Cannith to use his creation forge in Sharn to build a new army of warforged.
1010 YK – The Harmonious Shield of Sarlona moves into the Adaran strongholds of Shalquar and Tashalatora.
1012 YK – The combined Brelish-Aundairian forces sack the cities of Athandra, Sigilstar, and Flamekeep and expand their own borders to include the majority of western Thrane. Their greatest stronghold lost and most of their power gone, Jaela Daran and her Diet of Cardinals officially disband the Church of the Silver Flame.
1014 YK – A wave of warforged fighters emerges from the Mournland, led by the Lord of Blades. They move into northern Darguun, singlehandedly wiping out the population of Skullreave before retreating back to Gorgonhorn. The goblinoid army that follows them into the mists does not return.
1015 YK – Under the growing pressures of the New Galifar War and increasing hostilities between the other dragonmarked houses, Baron Ulara d’Jorasco and her house secede from the Twelve. Gathering together various fragments of what used to be the Church of the Silver Flame, House Jorasco forms the Mithral Guard: a league of paladins and healers who devote themselves to putting an end to the New Galifar War.
1016 YK – With the Shroud of Adar weakened, the Harmonious Shield launches a full assault on Adar from footholds within the mountains and massacres over half of the country's population. Only the dragons of Korrandar halt the complete annihilation of the kalashtar.
1018 YK – Further signs of the mist spread further across the continent, and show no signs of stopping. Lurching Tower, Kennrun, and New Cyre in Breland are all devoured. Many of the Cyran refugees, distrusting Ruken’s administration, lead many of the newly disenfranchised Brelish down to join the Wynarn Protectorate. The Inspired of Sarlona launch their second assault on Argonnessen, establishing an island base off of the Claws of Kylarys.
1020 YK – King Kaius III meets King Adal on the field of battle, the vampire defeating the Aundairian ruler on the field of battle and taking him hostage. Aundair is forced to sue for peace, despite their joint victories with Breland. The New Galifar War officially ends with the Second Treaty of Thronehold. The remaining territories of Thrane are divided up between Breland, Aundair, and Karrnath.
1021 YK – The Mistmarch Committee is formed between the academic bodies of the Arcanix and the University of Wynarn to monitor and reverse the Mourning.
1024 YK – In an event later known as the 'Night of Twisted Shadows', House Thuranni obliterates House Phiarlan by striking its five artistic demesnes simultaneously. The bond of the Twelve finally collapses under the strain of its house rivalries.
1026 YK – The Inspired of Sarlona launch their third assault on Argonnessen, striking at the Valley of the Three. In response, the Conclave declares war on the Inspired and their followers. The Light of Siberys launches a full-scale assault on Sarlona, setting fire to most of mainland Rierdra, including the regions of Dor Maleer, Khalesh and Rhiavaar.
1030 YK – Having outcompeted his rivals Jorlanna and Zorlan in the New Galifar War, Merrix officially becomes the new Baron of House Cannith. His first act is to abandon Ruken and join the Wynarn Protectorate. Construction on the Aeon Wall begins.
1038 YK – The mists reach as far as Woodhelm, the Endworld Mountains, Oskilor, and the Karrnwood in Karrnath. Kaius III, faced with the utter destruction of his people, begins to move into the Mror Holds. The Ironroot War begins.
1039 YK – Construction on the Aeon Wall is completed.
1042 YK – The Ironroot War ends as High Priest Malevanor betrays and kills Kaius, and the main Karrnathi force is defeated outside Krona Peak.
1046 YK – The Mourning takes Trolanport, and many Zilargo gnomes flee to join the Wynarn Protectorate in southern Breland.
1048 YK – The Lord of Blades leads his armies to the gates of Passage, sacking the city and claiming all territory west of Lake Galifar as his own.
1053 YK – The mists reach the Aeon Wall.
1057 YK – The campaign begins…
The Player Characters:
The somewhat unique parameters of this game demand that each of the players create two characters rather than one: the first will be inhabiting the 'bad future' Eberron that I've outlined, while the second will be caught up in the whirlwinds of the Last War. Don't worry if it's confusing right now - it'll all be explained once the plot of the game gets rolling and things start to develop along their natural (scripted) course. I've also asked them to use Mythweavers, so anyone reading this log will be able to look at the cross-sections. Each character - both Past and Present - is using a 32 point buy system to generate stats.
Nick - Alistair Duskwhisper (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=860660) / Regis Strongheart (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1008177)
Nick's Present character is Alastair Duskwhisper, a gnome from Zilargo who has had several brushes with the pernicious influence of Dal Quor, the realm of dreams. His uncle Xoryn unfortunately brought the wrath of the Quori upon his family, resulting in a particularly scarred gnome with a penchant for using the same glamers against his enemies. Alistair fills a niche role in the Present party roster, as an arcane spellcaster and an effective battlefield controller. His specialty is using fear in order to dominate the battlefield and scare off entire scores of enemies at the same time. In its time of need, House Cannith has called upon this gifted prodigy for their secret project.
Nick's Past character uses entirely different mechanics. As Regis Strongheart, he puts his monastic and stealth-based training to use outmaneuvering his enemies. A mysterious halfling with no past to speak of, his is a face one might pass on the street and never look at twice. An extremely skilled infiltrator and ranged combat specialist, Regis primarily uses shurikens to incapacitate or kill anyone standing in his way. Recently, Colonel Haldren ir'Brassek has sought Regis out, as he is need of someone who can get past surveillance systems unseen.
Cameron - Oloren (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=30174) / Myrra (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=29865)
Cameron's Present character Oloren is a goliath, a creature native to the Plane of Earth. Oloren spent a great deal of his time fighting for the Church of the Silver Flame in the Last War, only to have lost his faith in that fraternity. Haunted, lost, and uncertain about his place in the world, he has become disillusioned with his role as a fighter for the faith in the face of the mists. And yet every day he prays, and every day something answers him. It gives him the will to fight on. So when he is summoned by House Cannith, Oloren gladly accepts the opportunity to help.
In the Past, Cameron is playing as Myrra, a changeling psion whose specialty is taking on a host of different forms. Her body is as mutable as it is versatile, adapting to any given situation.Myrra believes change is a natural process, but she does change unnaturally quickly. Myrra is energetic, gregarious, talkative, friendly, and likely to burn your face off when she gets bored. Nothing fazes her, and she doesn't take anything very seriously. Winning the game of life comes through new experiences.
Andrew - Havernath (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1010752) / Wayland Thurston (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=1007727)
Havernath has the unfortunate honor of being one of the last living kalashtar in Eberron. As the mountain refuge of Adar was all but wiped out by Rierdra, many of the remaining kalashtar on Khorvaire banded together into new communes. Havernath is the product of this new social order, shrouded in equal parts sorrow and stoic aloofness. He is also a powerful psion, who specializes in creating new life out of ectoplasmic forms. He isn't much of a conversationalist, and yet he has been placed in charge of one of the kalashtar reserves operating out of Sharn.
Brother Wayland Thurston, on the other hand, does not possess any of Havernath's sober sanity. Thurston used to live and teach amongst the villages of the Eldeen Reaches, until Aundairan rebels began to infiltrate the homes of the Reaches. Fire and death followed swiftly behind, in the form of special forces squadrons. Thurston only barely escaped with his life, although the grief of his loved ones' passing proved too much, and he spiraled into madness. Now he has turned his divine magic towards a more incomprehensible end.
Robbie - Anastasia ir'Kade (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=30146) / Laan (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=27434)
Robbie's Present character Anastasia is a scholar first and foremost. She has spent a great deal of her life involved with the Mistmarch Committee, investigating the origins and influence of the Mourning as it has spread across the continent. As a premier cosmologist, her specialty is in breaching the borders between the planes in order to call otherworldly hosts to her side. After the collapse of the Committee, Anastasia delved deeper into her own diabolic studies, eventually becoming one of the foremost experts on conjuration.
Laan - Robbie's character in the Past - was born to a chosen family in Rierdra's holdings on Xen'drik, and was something of a failed experiment from birth. He has no psionic abilities, but he developed an aberrant dragonmark in his teens that has only grown over time. Escaping from home, he fell in with a group of pirates from Khorvaire and soon made his way to that continent as a mercenary in the Last War. He fights with no weapons, preferring to use his finely honed martial arts skills to take down any obstacles in his way.
Read on for the session notes! People who are reading are more than welcome to make comments if they so choose. Any and all feedback is appreciated. :smallsmile: