Page 9 - Eberron -Rising from the Last War_Neat

To create a compelling villain, the DM and players
might develop a villain's backstory together. A D M might
ask a player: When you fought in the Last War, Halas
Martain served in your unit until he betrayed you. What
did he do, exactly? Likewise, when a pulp villain appears
to die, they can devise remarkable escapes from death.
Perhaps Halas had a ring that cast an illusion of his
death while stabilizing him or cast feather fall when he
leapt from that tower in Sham. D M could engage the
A
players in determining the answer: It's Halas Martain,
all right. How do you think he survived your last encoun­
ter? This collaboration can produce a compelling story
and a sense of investment in the world.

I
NO R I N T R I G U E
Eberron draws inspiration from noir and hard-boiled
fiction. It's a world where stories don't always end well,
and where there isn't a perfect solution for every prob­
lem. In developing characters or stories in Eberron, con­
sider the following concepts.
E
EV R YONE HAS R E G RETS
Player characters are remarkable people, but they aren't
perfect. As you consider a flaw for your character, you
can add a little hard-boiled flavor by considering the
past: Did you make a tragic mistake, and if so, is it some­
thing you can ever undo? Did you hurt or betray some­
one who now seeks revenge? The Regrets table provides
a few examples of missteps that might haunt you.

R E G R E TS
dlO Regret
While you were serving n the Last War, you were
i
forced to abandon an injured comrade. You don't
know if they survived.
2 You placed your faith n a lover who betrayed you. You
i
don't know if you can ever trust anyone again.
3 You murdered a rival. Your actions may have been
justified, but their face still haunts you.
4 You made a promise to a child or a lover that you
failed to keep.
5 You squandered your family's fortune and brought
u
shame and ruin to yo r household.
6 You made a bargain with an extraplanar entity that
you now regret.
7 You abandoned your family to pursue a life of adven­
ture. Your village was destroyed in the war and you
don't know if they survived.
8 You engaged in covert operations for a nation as a spy
REMARKABLE VILLAINS or soldier. While you were serving your country, you
Eberron is rich in villains, from two-bit hoods to con­ did unforgivable things.
tinental masterminds. It might be a long time before 9 Someone put their trust in you and you betrayed
you're ready to face the sinister leader behind the them for personal gain. You might regret it now, but
Order of the Emerald Claw in battle. But part of the you can never repair the damage you've done.
flavor of pulp adventure includes recurring villains who 10 You volunteered for mystical experiments. These may
closely match the heroes-rivals who advance in power be responsible for yo r class abilities, but you might
u
as you do.
experience side effects.

W E LCOM E TO EB ERRON
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