Citadel: C.S.I. Sharn

Creating your character

Players will create their characters before the first session, supported by a short Session 0 to finalize bonds, background ties, and team dynamics. Characters begin at Level 5, representing trained operatives already field-ready for Citadel work. This allows subclass selection and reflects their status as competent investigators. Abilities are generated using standard array or point buy, no rolling, so the team remains balanced and professional. All official 5th-edition Eberron sources are allowed, including: • Eberron: Rising from the Last War • Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron • Player’s Handbook Players may use 3.5-edition Eberron material for inspiration, with the GM assisting in converting or adapting concepts into 5E as needed. Mechanical elements are not automatically imported, tone and ideas take priority. No homebrew races or classes at campaign start. Optional class features from TCoE are permitted if they align with the tone. Every character must: • Have a reason the Citadel recruited them (skill, reputation, leverage, or loyalty) • Define at least one external allegiance (House, faith, faction, criminal tie, or cultural loyalty) • Provide two complications: - • one internal (secret, flaw, unresolved past) - • one external (someone they owe, someone who wants something, or someone who wants them gone) Backgrounds should connect to Sharn or Breland, but characters from other nations are welcome; political tension is a feature, not a bug. Equipment follows standard starting gear plus: • Citadel badge of authority • sending stone (shared network access) • case file access clearance level: provisional Your Citadel agents will live and work in the Citadel tower in the Ambassador Towers district in Sharn. Expert staff is on hand to assist the team with whatever you need. All characters are presumed to know one another professionally, but personal trust is not required yet.

Preparing for the session

Before the first session, players should complete the following: Finish character creation • Level 5 character using point buy or standard array • External allegiance + internal/external complication • Brief written reason the Citadel recruited you Read the campaign primer • 1–2 page overview of Sharn, the Citadel, and campaign tone • No setting expertise required—just familiarity with themes Confirm communication access • Join the game’s primary communication channel (Discord or equivalent—link will be provided) • Enable direct messaging for coordination and scheduling • test audio and access Tech setup: Roll20 • create an account if required • join the campaign link • No purchases will be needed by players • Session 0 readiness • Bring character connections, questions, and lines/veils for safety tools • Be prepared to establish how the team knows each other professionally • No additional software or books are required beyond official 5E resources and the campaign materials provided by the GM.

What Robert brings to the table

What I Provide as GM You can expect a cinematic investigation-focused game with grounded realism and dramatic flair. I use the Rules as Written as the baseline, but I also apply the Rule of Cool, creative ideas that fit the tone and make the moment unforgettable are encouraged, and I’ll support them with fair rolls and real consequences. I provide: • Case files, handouts, and evidence for each investigation • NPC voices and personalities, especially for interrogations • Occasional ambient music and sound to set mood (no requirement for players) • Clear clues, not puzzles designed to stall play • Combat that is tense and tactical, but not the campaign’s focus • Safety tools and tone boundaries, established in Session 0 My priorities as a GM: • Player agency • Smart investigation over lucky guessing • Realism (such as it is in Eberron) with room for cinematic moments • Consequences that matter but don’t punish creativity If you bring bold ideas, I’ll meet you halfway.

Homebrew rules

Gumshoe-Inspired Investigation & Fate-Style Action Dice This campaign adapts the Gumshoe investigative model to keep the story moving through player decisions rather than dice luck. In Gumshoe, core clues are never missed if a character has the right investigative ability. We apply that principle in D&D 5e as follows: Core Clues Are Automatic If a character has proficiency in the relevant 5E skill, they automatically gain core clues when examining a scene, questioning someone, or analyzing evidence, no roll required. Core clues: • always advance the case • cannot be missed • prevent stalled investigations Examples: • Investigation → hidden ledger or tampered lock • Insight → key emotional tell • Arcana → magical residue • History → symbol or precedent If no one has the needed skill, another path will exist, teamwork, legwork, contacts, or creative approaches. When Rolls Still Matter Dice are used for: • non-core clues (extra detail, shortcuts, leverage) • risky actions (chases, stealth, breaking wards, interrogation pressure) • dramatic consequences (time loss, exposure, collateral problems) • Failure creates complications, not dead ends. Action Dice as Narrative Currency Eberron Action Dice are expanded to function like Fate Points, a resource that supports bold choices, character drama, and narrative influence while keeping tension intact. Players May Spend an Action Die To: • Boost a Roll (classic use) • Add 1d6 (or 1d8 at higher level) after seeing the roll but before the result is confirmed. • Invoke a Character Aspect: • If a background, allegiance, dragonmark, or complication meaningfully applies, a player may gain: • advantage on a roll, or • automatic success on a core investigative action that fits the fiction. • Declare a Narrative Detail • Players may introduce reasonable facts such as: • emergency Citadel clearance • a House contact nearby • accessible infrastructure (catwalks, skycoach routes) • Allowed if it fits tone, doesn’t invalidate preparation, and moves the story forward. Major effects may cost two dice or add a complication. • Mitigate a Consequence • lethal blow becomes unconsciousness • fall becomes a hard landing • "caught” becomes “delayed” Stakes remain, outcomes shift. Earning Action Dice, Players gain Action Dice when they: • lean into complications or allegiances • accept narrative setbacks that make sense • pursue bold investigative choices • advance the case through proactive play Action Dice start at 1 per case, can be held up to 5, and are earned through roleplay, not automatic refresh.

How Robert creates a safe table

This campaign uses established tabletop safety tools to ensure every player is comfortable, respected, and able to fully enjoy the game. Session 0 Discussion Before play begins, we will review expectations and boundaries together. Topics include: • tone, themes, and intensity • Lines & Veils • use of safety tools (X-Card, pauses, check-ins) • how to communicate needs privately or during play Nothing in the campaign will come as a surprise without consent. Lines & Veils A Lines & Veils document will be shared with all players. Lines are subjects that will not appear in the game. Veils may exist in the world but will not be described on-screen. Players can request additions at any time, no justification required. X-Card Use The X-Card will be available digitally, and a physical gesture may be used on request. If a player triggers the X-Card: • the content is immediately skipped or altered • no explanation is required • play continues smoothly without drawing attention to the individual Ongoing Consent & Aftercare Player comfort is checked in regularly, both during and after sessions. If a scene becomes intense, we can: • fade out • take a break • rewind and reframe • shift focus to another thread After each session, players may provide feedback privately to adjust tone, pacing, or themes. Always Open Door Players may step away at any time for any reason. No one is ever required to engage with content that makes them uncomfortable, and safety tools can be invoked at any point in the campaign, not only at Session 0.