[Eberron] Starting a module in Sharn - Need Hooks

[Jarmen4u]

I'm ~relatively new to DMing, as I have only fully run a single campaign a couple years ago, but I managed to drag a group of friends together to play. I'm planning to start with The Forgoten Forge Eberron adventure, which starts in Sharn. But the module itself doesn't really offer much into what would cause the PCs to be in a group walking the streets in the pouring rain late at night.

I at an earlier time tried running Sunless Citadel for a different group, which went alright but seemed a bit rushed into the module. Some time later, I played in a game that ran the same module, and we didn't even get to the citadel until the 3rd or 4th session, because Oakhurst (the starting village) was holding some sort of festival which led to several character interactions and mini-games, as well as a couple secondary encounters.

I don't think I'd personally want to wait that long, but what can I do to bring this group together, and give them a reason to be out late? It could easily be something as simple as 'they're heading back to their inn after XYZ event that they attended,' but I'm not too familiar with Sharn or Eberron as a setting, so I don't have that many Eberron-specific ideas as to why they'd be there. Currently the party contains two druids (halfling and half-elf), a dwarf rogue, a human fighter, and a Drow sorcerer. What in Sharn could draw the attention of all of these people from different walks of life, and give them a reason to group up?

[Troacctid]

It's a 5e book, but Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron has a whole chapter dedicated entirely to adventure hooks in Sharn (written by Eberron creator Keith Baker no less). I'd recommend it.

[daremetoidareyo]

Just give all of the PCS the job of local Magistrate. Basically make them cops / Detectives. Then have flying Pursuits around the multi-tiered city. Maybe a nefarious Guild is influencing politicians to allow something incredibly unethical to occur?

[Jarmen4u]

It's a 5e book, but Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron has a whole chapter dedicated entirely to adventure hooks in Sharn (written by Eberron creator Keith Baker no less). I'd recommend it.

I'll look into it. Hopefully I can find a copy nearby.

Just give all of the PCS the job of local Magistrate. Basically make them cops / Detectives. Then have flying Pursuits around the multi-tiered city. Maybe a nefarious Guild is influencing politicians to allow something incredibly unethical to occur?

Thing is, I already have the greater adventure worked out, it's just the age-old problem of how to bring this group to Sharn in the first place, let alone getting them to work together.

[Troacctid]

I'll look into it. Hopefully I can find a copy nearby.

It's digital only. https://www.dmsguild.com/product/247...-to-Eberron-5e

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Troacctid
It's digital only.

I was trying and trying to find this on Amazon before I realized it wasn't available in hardcopy. More's the pity.

[golem1972]

You could tell your players where the adventure will start and that they need to find an in-character reason to be there.

[Jarmen4u]

You could tell your players where the adventure will start and that they need to find an in-character reason to be there.

Normally that'd be my go-to, but half of them have never even played a TTRPG before, so I was trying to hold their hands a bit to get them acclimated to the way the game works.

We just had our first real session, and I had them gathered at some open air festival, but getting them together afterwards was a chore. Despite the rain, one of the characters insisted on sleeping under a random awning instead of joining the others at the inn. I played along because I don't like railroading, but I said that after some time, the floating building shifted, spilling water onto him. Eventually he was directed to a nearby inn (where the other players were staying) by guards since there was a small riot and the street wasn't safe.

[Fizban]

We just had our first real session, and I had them gathered at some open air festival, but getting them together afterwards was a chore. Despite the rain, one of the characters insisted on sleeping under a random awning instead of joining the others at the inn. I played along because I don't like railroading, but I said that after some time, the floating building shifted, spilling water onto him. Eventually he was directed to a nearby inn (where the other players were staying) by guards since there was a small riot and the street wasn't safe.

First rule (one of many "first" rules) of TTRPGs: it's the players' job to make sure their characters can and will work together (unless it's specifically a game where they don't do that). Getting them to group up and work together should never be a chore, because the moment you give them an excuse they should be pulling together to get their adventure on.

That said, the easiest way to bring PCs together is always to just have an NPC do it. Easier still to have the game start with them already in the same room, but if the start apart then they are each approached by a messenger asking them to meet at a place for a job, which they then do because that's what they're here to do. IIRC The Forgotten Forge is already set up as an "NPC hires the PC randos for a job," so this should already be covered.

[Getsugaru]

IIRC, there should be a scenario in the back of the Eberron Campaign Setting. While I don't remember the specifics, I recall it involving a seemingly-random murder on one of Sharn's many bridges on a rainy night. Might be worth a look. Hope this helps!

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Getsugaru
IIRC, there should be a scenario in the back of the Eberron Campaign Setting. While I don't remember the specifics, I recall it involving a seemingly-random murder on one of Sharn's many bridges on a rainy night.

This is “The Forgotten Forge,” a mini-adventure starting on p. 307 of the ECS, which the OP has already referenced.

Unfortunately for the OP’s needs, the mini-adventure leaves it completely up to the DM to explain why the PCs are together in the city.

Originally Posted by Fizban
IIRC The Forgotten Forge is already set up as an "NPC hires the PC randos for a job," so this should already be covered.

Not quite. The PCs are dumped into the middle of things before Lady Elaydren shows up, and it never gives a reason why they’re together in the first place.

.

[weckar]

Personally I'd get them all on a haywire lightning rail train.
You know there is a whole book dedicated to Sharn, right?

[Jarmen4u]

This is “The Forgotten Forge,” a mini-adventure starting on p. 307 of the ECS, which the OP has already referenced.

Unfortunately for the OP’s needs, the mini-adventure leaves it completely up to the DM to explain why the PCs are together in the city.



Not quite. The PCs are dumped into the middle of things before Lady Elaydren shows up, and it never gives a reason why they’re together in the first place.

.

I appreciate that you're familiar with the module. Like I said, I more or less had to railroad them together, which they more or less did on their own (with one player as an exception), which I really wanted to avoid doing. At this point, they're due to meet the Lady in the morning, so that should be enough to keep them together for the short term. Long term, though.. that's another problem.

Personally I'd get them all on a haywire lightning rail train.
You know there is a whole book dedicated to Sharn, right?

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Currently though, there's no room for a lightning rail, haywire or otherwise, within the small setting of the module. Maybe I'll use that somewhere else.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Jarmen4u
Long term, though.. that's another problem.

Where are you planning for this to lead? Forgotten Forge leaves open the possibility for more tasks from the Lady, as well as plot threads leading to Shadows of the Last War, which is intended as a direct follow-up to Forgotten Forge.

[Jarmen4u]

Where are you planning for this to lead? Forgotten Forge leaves open the possibility for more tasks from the Lady, as well as plot threads leading to Shadows of the Last War, which is intended as a direct follow-up to Forgotten Forge.

I'd like to lead it to some of the other modules, like Shadows, definitely.

Though at the moment, they're considering selling the schema if they can get more than the 1000gp each for it.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Jarmen4u
Though at the moment, they're considering selling the schema if they can get more than the 1000gp each for it.

They’re PCs. This surprises you?

Honestly, selling the schema is a great plot point in itself. If Saber is still alive at this point, then he can arrange for a proxy to kill the buyer, take the schema and frame the PCs. That means the city guard is after the PCs, the Lady has reason to suspect them, and they’re on the run.

[Jarmen4u]

They’re PCs. This surprises you?

Honestly, selling the schema is a great plot point in itself. If Saber is still alive at this point, then he can arrange for a proxy to kill the buyer, take the schema and frame the PCs. That means the city guard is after the PCs, the Lady has reason to suspect them, and they’re on the run.

That's definitely worth keeping in mind. I'm not that experienced with DMing, especially not something with this level of intrigue, so I'm not that great at handling crazy amounts of derailing, especially in a setting I'm also still learning.

[fallensavior]

I ran Forgotten Forge recently. I told them they were a security detail team working for a Morgrave University research expedition to Xen'drik. Having just gotten back to Sharn, they were invited to a end-of-the-year party at the local tavern...at which they were handed a layoff notice, severance pay, and told to scram. Exiting the tavern, they immediately stumble upon the bloody bridge.

[Jarmen4u]

I ran Forgotten Forge recently. I told them they were a security detail team working for a Morgrave University research expedition to Xen'drik. Having just gotten back to Sharn, they were invited to a end-of-the-year party at the local tavern...at which they were handed a layoff notice, severance pay, and told to scram. Exiting the tavern, they immediately stumble upon the bloody bridge.

That's interesting. Did they have any prior connection to the provost before finding him dead then?

[fallensavior]

That's interesting. Did they have any prior connection to the provost before finding him dead then?

They'd heard of him, but never met him since they were in different departments. (He's in pre-Galifar studies on Khorvaire and they were in the giant/drow ruins of Xen'drik.)

But,...if you wanted the murder to be more personal, you could change Bonal to Xen'drik studies or the PCs to a pre-Galifar ruins team.

[ksbsnowowl]

The whole point of the start of Forgotten Forge is that the PC's DON'T start together as a group. They are a bunch of randos that just happen to be nearby when someone gets murdered. In true heroic fashion, the writers expect the PC's to each individually jump in to try and help/stop the murderer; perhaps they start working together in the moment. Then the city watch shows up. All the PC's are witnesses, and for all the city guard knows, were involved in the murder. So they are "arrested" and placed in a holding cell while the watch tries to figure out what happened, and who is responsible.

This is what first brings the PC's together, and would allow for introductions while they are sitting in a cell. Then the noble gets them out and collectively offers them a job.

If you as a DM want something more role-play oriented than just stating each PC happens to be going about their own business on a rainy night, this would be a good opportunity, especially with brand new table-top players, to run a short introductory solo session with each PC. Meet with each player individually, help them make their character, then run a 30-minute intro session that plays upon whatever backstory they give you.

Maybe one is out in the rain getting medicine for his sick mother/wife/kid. Maybe one is returning home after a long day on the job. Each solo-session will be different, but end each one with the PC's heading out into a stormy night. Then you naturally pick up Session 1 with "You are each walking through the high-spanning bridges of Sharn for your own reasons, and the drenching downpour hurries your step through the night. You hope to reach your destination before you are completely soaked through to your undergarments."

Then just break right into the intro read-aloud text. "Curtains of water fall from the sky as you traverse the labyrinthine walkways of Sharn. The stone and wooden paths wind around and between the towers and spires high above the ground, forming a complex latticework that can be very confusing on evenings such as this. ..."