3.5 Eberron Adventure Path Conclusion

[fallensavior]

I'm DMing an Eberron campaign using the published modules. So far we've run:

Level 1: Forgotten Forge
Level 2: Shadows of the Last War
Level 3: Khyber's Havest (ported from 4th)
Level 4: Whispers of the Vampire's Blade
Level 5-7: Grasp of the Emerald Claw and Voyage of the Golden Dragon (simultaneously)
Level 8+: Eyes of the Lich Queen (current)

I'm looking for ideas on where to go from here once we finish up EotLQ.

Specifically, at the end of GotEC, the PCs handed over the Creation Pattern and Schemas to Elaydren without question; therefore, unknowingly handing them over to Merrix. I think there should be consequences for this, the module simply states "Merrix makes Xulo whole once more shortly thereafter. What happens next is up to the DM."

Has anyone else been in this position after finishing GotEC? I'm trying to think of a storyline that unites the seemingly disparate aspects of the previous adventures, ideally including at least the Lord of Blades and the Soul Blade into a plot with Merrix and Xulo.

Or maybe if all else fails, something resembling the Lord of Blades/Master Artificer plot from Dungeons and Dragons Online.

[weckar]

Between Xulo and the Of Blades both active you've got an interesting potential relationship on your hands. Exploring their knowledge of each other and the results thereof would be the easiest way to tie everything together quite neatly. Depending on how you see him, Xulo could be a rival or a weapon for the Of Blades - although it is in Merrix' interest to keep them as far away from each other as possible.
Potentially this could lead to stirrings of a new war, fought for Warforged rather than just by them. This in turn allows for thematic links to the Last War, or expeditions to Xen'Drik to explore the origins of the Warforged.

[fallensavior]

The party is about to go into the Dreadhold. One of the NPCs in there is a generic House Kundarak dragonmarked Dwarf artificer. I'm going to say he's actually a spy for House Cannith, (that he is actually a human with a disguised mark of making reincanated as a Dwarf.) They can't miss him. They'll find the following letter in his forge/on his person.

U,
Your services are direly needed in Sharn. The EC gambit paid off. The pawns delivered the pattern to E unquestioningly, and she it to me. The wheels of the next scheme are already in motion. I need my best researchers here to study this "Xulo" before the LoB arrives. Abandon your current assignment.
-M

Is it too blunt or too cryptic?

[Afgncaap5]

The party is about to go into the Dreadhold. One of the NPCs in there is a generic House Kundarak dragonmarked Dwarf artificer. I'm going to say he's actually a spy for House Cannith, (that he is actually a human with a disguised mark of making reincanated as a Dwarf.) They can't miss him. They'll find the following letter in his forge/on his person.

U,
Your services are direly needed in Sharn. The EC gambit paid off. The pawns delivered the pattern to E unquestioningly, and she it to me. The wheels of the next scheme are already in motion. I need my best researchers here to study this "Xulo" before the LoB arrives. Abandon your current assignment.
-M

Is it too blunt or too cryptic?

I think this is mostly good; it feels obvious reading it, but honestly it's good for the players to have the ability to put a few pieces together. Assuming the players encountered the name Xulo during GotEC, it should help them fill in the pieces of the puzzle, which'll help the players to feel like they're good detectives. If you want to keep some surprises in the wings, you could also change the second to last sentence to be "I need my best researchers here to study this 'Xulo' before HE arrives." Maybe even add in "Don't forget what he did to Arkatis [or whatever name you like] when he was displeased last time." if you want there to be a giveaway that the mysterious "HE" is dangerous.

If you want a more definite bit of LoB foreshadowing, you could also add a postscript that says something like "PS - you know how to craft an antivenom particularly useful for warding against sleep and unconsciousness, yes? Bring it; I believe the hilt or pommel may be accompanying him for the visit." Hilt and Pommel are the names of his advanced Iron Defenders, and their bite attack has a poison that causes sleep, you see, something mentioned in Five Nations but is also unlikely to be known by any players who are just casual fans of the setting. If you like, you could add a Knowledge (History or Geography) check of 20 to reveal the name of a group of Hobgoblin mercenaries who operate near The Hilt (the Sharn's harbor in the Dagger River) who are called The Hilted and make use of alchemical gear which sometimes includes sleeping poisons as a red herring. If you're prepping for knowledge checks, though, I'd say that actually knowing the names Hilt or Pommel as being associated with the LoB would probably be a nigh-impossible Knowledge (Arcana) or (Local [Mournlands]) check, but also probably only a DC 20 or 25 Bardic Knowledge check.


On an unrelated note: Xulo's one of my favorite Eberron villains, but he's so underused to the point that he's basically unknown. Glad to see him getting some screen time. :-)