Page 147 - Wayfinders Guide to Eberron

STARTING POINTS the district? The DM should work with each
Friends and Rivals. Who do you know in

player to develop a friend or rival in the area…
Sharn holds the potential for endless adventures.
or both. A character’s background is always
The City of Towers can serve as the foundation
a good place to start. If you’re a criminal, do
of a single adventure or an entire campaign.
,MÅVQVO I [\IZ\QVO XWQV\ Q[ I _Ia \W OQ^M IV QVQ\QIT you have a friend in a local gang? If you’re an
entertainer, do you have a professional rival?
focus to the campaign—setting a tone and giving
If you’re a folk hero, did you deal with a thug
players an initial investment in the story. The
causing trouble in your favorite tavern—earning
player characters may be meeting in a tavern—
you the gratitude of the owner and the enmity of
but it’s their favorite tavern. The bard performs
the villain?
twice a week and the barbarian has a huge bar
This is a collaborative process and the goal is
tab to resolve.
<PQ[ [MK\QWV M`XTWZM[ \PZMM LQٺMZMV\ [\IZ\QVO to enhance the story, not to spoil it. You may
be friends with a Morgrave professor, but that
points.
doesn’t mean they’ll magically solve all your
• Callestan is in Lower Dura. It’s a
problems; more likely, they might ask you to
dangerous district riddled with crime and
OIVO KWVÆQK\ ) +ITTM[\IV KIUXIQOV Q[ I help solve one of their problems. If you’re having
trouble coming up with ideas, the DM can
dark neo-noir story.
XZWXW[M [WUM\PQVO IVL PI^M aW] ÆM[P W]\ \PM
• +TQٺ\WX in Upper Dura is a district LM\IQT[" ¹You’ve made an enemy of a Daask ogre named
catering to established adventurers. This
Brokentooth. How’d that happen?”
is a place for pulp heroes, established
You Meet at a Tavern … But Which
explorers whose services are in demand.
Tavern? ?PMZM LW aW] [XMVL aW]Z Wٺ PW]Z['
• Morgrave University is in Upper As a group, once you settle on a location, each
Menthis Plateau. This is a college for player can add one cosmetic detail about it. This
adventurers, and an opportunity to add a KW]TL QV^WT^M I [\Iٺ UMUJMZ ¹The bartender is an
little levity to your story. old dwarf named Clanky; he’s got a prosthetic arm.”).
Choosing and developing a starting point should It might be something about the food, or about
be a collaborative process between the players M^MV\[ PW[\ML I\ \PM TWKI\QWV ¹Once a week, the local
mediums hold a public seance.”). All of these ideas are
and the DM. A starting point sets a tone; if
half of the players want a light-hearted romp, subject to DM approval.
Callestan is a poor choice. You don’t have to have a starting point, and
Once you’ve agreed on a starting point, the even if you pick one, you don’t have to answer
ITT WN \PM[M Y]M[\QWV[ <PM OWIT WN \PQ[ Q[ \W [M\ I
next step is to work together to develop the story.
tone—if this campaign is a movie, what kind of
This section provides details about each district,
including prominent NPCs and locations. Using movie is it?—and to give each player a personal
this as a foundation, each player should work investment in that story.
_Q\P \PM ,5 \W IV[_MZ \PM NWTTW_QVO Y]M[\QWV[
Why Are You Here? What has drawn your
character to this place, and what keeps you here?
The idea of using a starting point is that it’s your
home—what does it say about your character that
this place is your home?

CHAPTER 6 | STARTING POINTS 147