What Have You Done? Ch. 1: Vol

[TheBrassDuke]

Vol, the most undeniably bad*** Ice Queen of the Dead pumped out of the works since Lolth. Born out of wedlock by a Dragon and Elf, an abomination of the species, Lady Erandis d'Vol was hunted by a united force of her two halves, and ultimately her glorious House was destroyed. A daring escape, however, was undertaken by her mother, who, to ensure her daughter's safety, used a gift exclusive to House Vol--the Mark of Death--to transform her into a Lich.

For centuries she's been plotting her revenge, so there's no arguing it's turned her evil. But what of her motives, and what of the cult that's risen since her rise to infamy?

For those who know Eberron, I'm interested in your takes.

What have you done with Lady Vol, and even the Blood of Vol? Did you use the Mark of Death? How so?

Was Vol's goal ultimately benevolent (i.e. Becoming the Goddess of Death)? Or did she wage war across the face of Eberron?

Aaannd go!

[Biotroll]

I used lady Vol (though not directly) and her cultists in our last Eberron game. She used genetics, magic, plane attunement, alchemy and whatnot to bring the mark back. She was successful in a way. The few elves who actualy manifested the mark (by enduring a rituals in Mabar manifestation zones) were slowly consumed by it until they were nothing more then a shadow who was covered in one huge dragonmark. I was just picking good-looking necromancy spells that these shadows could cast plus you know, shadow. The party fought the cult, raided it's cathedral/monastery in Karrnath and in the end managed to kill the leaders of the research branch. Lots of undead and negative energy in that campaign.

However, they thought only the branch leaders were responsible for it and never made any other investigation, so it ended there. Lady Vol is now laying low while perfecting the research and ritual needed for the mark to manifest back again on the elves. So while I will be DMing an aberration campaign now, lady Vol will have her say in the next one after it as I wanted to introduce my players to Elder Evils.

The plan so far is, that Vol realized she needed a lot of mystical energy to perform the ritual and there will be good time for that as the moons of Eberron will be getting in line with sun soon. She will unleash a powerful magic and thirteen moon will appear. At start it will be barely recognizable black dot in the evening sky, but it will keep growing bigger and bigger while Eberron will be plagued by undead more and more, before they finaly find out it's no moon, but it's Atropus. I will just have to think of some great story about what Atropus is. Initial thought is that he is the father of both Sovereign Host and Dark Six and that they were able to banish him in ancient times for his evil way, but were torn away from Eberron as well (except Traveler, who will then have to play a major role in all of this as will the hags in Droaam, because I just love them).

So, her goal is not evil nor is it good. She just wants to see her house back. It just isn't working the way she wants. (I'm not sure if I will be create Mark of Death after this campaign for regular use or not. Will have to see how the aberration campaign plays out first as of now, the nations are almost at war due to the last campaign stuff.)

[atemu1234]

One of my players was an Elf Bard. He went back in time via a scroll of Teleport Through Time, and seduced a member of House Vol, producing a child possessed of the mark, and then returned to the future with the child, reviving the House in modern times.

[TheBrassDuke]

@Biotroll YES, Aberrations!!! I love them! Also, I've made use of the Sisters of Sora Kell many times in my Eberron Campaigns; they're amazing, and so many ideas for them! I can see them taking control of Breland in my next adventure, but of course that would cause a western war Khorvaire's not prepared for. Oh well! :P

Very good ideas! Lemme know when you're up and running again. I'd love to hear how it works out!

@atemu1234 What were his motivations in bringing a Vol-child to the present? Have you accounted for how that would affect the past? Was it just to manifest the Mark, was he working for Vol? Or~~

What properties did the Mark of Death have, anyway?

Baker's interpretation is pretty cool, and I know it's open to speculation, but I've always had the powers associated with death--such as communication, laying to rest, etc., with the Siberys Mark making Undeath a factor, Lich-wise, whatever. Vol became a mostly benevolent goddess of Death in her time, but was evil mostly because it was HER dominion, and the dragons and Elves took this away from her originally. I don't know. I just want to know why your bard brought this Marked child to the future.

What were the repercussions? I'm sure the Chamber noticed...did you fight any dragon resistance? Order of the Emerald Claw retrievers? Anything?

[TheBrassDuke]

Bump bump bump.

[Cwymbran-San]

I had her playing a more benevolent role: The real purpose of the Mark of Death was to make sure that every dead found its final resting place. The job of the heirs of the house was to cow free-roaming undead (least marks power: control undead) relocate dead bodies to a proper burial place (lesser marks power: animate dead) or give a failed hero a second chance at fulfilling his fate (greater marks power: raise dead).

One of the characters was valenar elf and upon reaching the neccessary Level, she attained the Syberis Mark of Death. She is trying to figure out ist powers while hiding from the other dragonmarked houses as well as the aerenal elves who want the mark gone.

Vol has learned of the existence of another elf with the mark (she cannot use her own because i houseruled that it takes a living "host" for a mark to work) and tried to get in touch with her. But when the messengers are undead themselves, diplomacy can be difficult...

So, as it stands, my PCs are either running from aereni warriors, fighting undead that are trying to parley (that in particular was fun) or hiding the mark (which takes considerable space on the PCs Body) from the world.

[atemu1234]

I had her playing a more benevolent role: The real purpose of the Mark of Death was to make sure that every dead found its final resting place. The job of the heirs of the house was to cow free-roaming undead (least marks power: control undead) relocate dead bodies to a proper burial place (lesser marks power: animate dead) or give a failed hero a second chance at fulfilling his fate (greater marks power: raise dead).

One of the characters was valenar elf and upon reaching the neccessary Level, she attained the Syberis Mark of Death. She is trying to figure out ist powers while hiding from the other dragonmarked houses as well as the aerenal elves who want the mark gone.

Vol has learned of the existence of another elf with the mark (she cannot use her own because i houseruled that it takes a living "host" for a mark to work) and tried to get in touch with her. But when the messengers are undead themselves, diplomacy can be difficult...

So, as it stands, my PCs are either running from aereni warriors, fighting undead that are trying to parley (that in particular was fun) or hiding the mark (which takes considerable space on the PCs Body) from the world.

(Five months)