Kalashtar Dragon Disciple [Archive] - Wizards Community

Kalashtar Dragon Disciple [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Vonril
12-16-07, 03:19 PM Hi! I'm currently GMing a mid-to-high level Eberron game with my players based in the continent of Sarlona. I'm the type of GM who really likes creative concepts and who doesn't mind the occasional unusual player character, such as, for example, a Paladin of the Blood of Vol...my concept is, the PCs, by their very nature are special; they can be movers and shakers in the world because it's their game. While I take pains to have things happen around them, I also take pains to make them feel they can change things and that they are a cut above everything else around them. So, in that vein, I don't occasionally mind a bit of a strange or one of a kind character, provided the backstory is interesting, just to spice things up a little bit.

By the same token, I love being a little unconventional myself in their encounters, whether it be with templates, classes, substitution religion, etc. My players are all veterans in their gaming years and I think they've come to expect from the setting, and from me, a little deviation from yet another ogre in their path. I'm careful though as well; I sprinkle just a little of the odd with much of the familiar to keep them comfortable for the most part, yet on their toes at the right moment.

So I absolutely love the Prophecy, only further augmented by recently acquiring Dragons of Eberron, and I have worked hard to slowly integrate it, and the Chamber more into my game. I also have tried to keep a small, but subtle draconic theme occasionally appearing throughout their adventures. My favorite book, however, hands down is Secrets of Sarlona (how can you not love the big brotheresque world of the Path of Inspiration? :D), and I have brought them here for a rather extended campaign arc. My players *love* fluff and I want to give them a little something special for this round of the game.

So I've worked a little bit to combine dragons and the psionic flavor of Sarlona, and what I've decided to put together is a main antagonist of the players in a kalashtar dragon disciple.

The idea is strange enough; basically you have an individual who is already part otherworldly-entity (quori), however faint it might be, rejecting his or her natural inclinations of psionics to harness, and eventually become one with yet another powerful force, dragons, in the form of the crux of the prestige class, a half-dragon.

Of course, this is rather uncharted territory for me, so I thought I might post the idea here to get some ideas for some backstory.

What I've got so far is obviously this individual is a bit of a rogue from Adar...perhaps an individual who became too obsessed with his/her fight with the Inspired and Riedra and fell into a darker path...perhaps he or she linked up with.

As for the dragon link, I found the sidebar in DoE regarding gem dragons (if you choose to include them in your game, which I might), ie the option of them possibly being the end result of quori possession tampering with chromatic/metallic dragons. For a more psionic flair, perhaps this kalashtar, already strange as hell for his or her arcane talents, fell in with one of these tampered gem dragons and used them as a path to power?

This is all just in the fledgling development stage and none of the ideas are right now set in stone. Your thoughts on possibilities for storyline for a kalashtar dragon disciple?
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
12-16-07, 05:39 PM Hmm . . . falling in with a gem dragon. That could definitely work. Or I wonder . . . I've read Gates of Dawn, and it includes the Draconic Eidolon. It's in Dal Quori. Basically, it's the conglomeration of the dreams of countless dragon spirits. They define eidolon in such a way that points out that the Silver Flame is an immense eidolon. Maybe your quori ancestor had ties to that eidolon. Perhaps it's even a rogue fragment of the eidolon and not a true quori. Or maybe it's a growing connection, as your work with the quori and Inspired begins to break down your seal and allow you to (at least partially) reconnect with Dal Quor, at least through the Draconic Eidolon. It's part of some research on their part for how to call back the renegade quori in the kalashtar without having to wipe them all out. Who knows? If your quori ancestor is reconnecting, shouldn't your entire line be? And in that case, this is a massive weapon for the Inspired, as it would make eliminating the line so much easier. If their research is completed, if they capture just one member of the line, they can wrench the full quori out of the entire line, eliminating it. You'd have the opportunity to spread hints about this first, as perhaps other members of your kalashtar's line begin to have disturbing visions - maybe even their first nightmares.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
12-20-07, 04:29 AM Good suggestion so far but I have another idea that may "inspire". When fleeing the plane of dreams the quori spirits fled and hid in the dreams of many powerful beings of the mortal realms. This includes dragons, who though sympathetic to their fight, were unwilling to provide aid to match what was eventually given by the sarlonan monks. Perhaps then you have found the child or even the (very old to say the least) same dragon who's mind your spirit hid in when it was whole. Indeed I like the idea of the original who regrets his shameful refusal to aid an innocent spirit in its time of need teaching you arts long hidden from most as a means of atoning for his ancient failing of duty.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
12-20-07, 09:35 AM Damn. I like that one. It's not the world-shattering quest centered around my backstory, but I sincerely like Terjon's idea. Seems like a better PC backstory, but hey. It's good. I'd personally prefer to use it for a dragon descendent than a dragon disciple. (Check Dragon Magic: it's a monk PrC. And considering the kalashtar tendency to produce monks . . .)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Vonril 12-16-07, 03:19 PM	Hi! I'm currently GMing a mid-to-high level Eberron game with my players based in the continent of Sarlona. I'm the type of GM who really likes creative concepts and who doesn't mind the occasional unusual player character, such as, for example, a Paladin of the Blood of Vol...my concept is, the PCs, by their very nature are special; they can be movers and shakers in the world because it's their game. While I take pains to have things happen around them, I also take pains to make them feel they can change things and that they are a cut above everything else around them. So, in that vein, I don't occasionally mind a bit of a strange or one of a kind character, provided the backstory is interesting, just to spice things up a little bit. By the same token, I love being a little unconventional myself in their encounters, whether it be with templates, classes, substitution religion, etc. My players are all veterans in their gaming years and I think they've come to expect from the setting, and from me, a little deviation from yet another ogre in their path. I'm careful though as well; I sprinkle just a little of the odd with much of the familiar to keep them comfortable for the most part, yet on their toes at the right moment. So I absolutely love the Prophecy, only further augmented by recently acquiring Dragons of Eberron, and I have worked hard to slowly integrate it, and the Chamber more into my game. I also have tried to keep a small, but subtle draconic theme occasionally appearing throughout their adventures. My favorite book, however, hands down is Secrets of Sarlona (how can you not love the big brotheresque world of the Path of Inspiration? :D), and I have brought them here for a rather extended campaign arc. My players love fluff and I want to give them a little something special for this round of the game. So I've worked a little bit to combine dragons and the psionic flavor of Sarlona, and what I've decided to put together is a main antagonist of the players in a kalashtar dragon disciple. The idea is strange enough; basically you have an individual who is already part otherworldly-entity (quori), however faint it might be, rejecting his or her natural inclinations of psionics to harness, and eventually become one with yet another powerful force, dragons, in the form of the crux of the prestige class, a half-dragon. Of course, this is rather uncharted territory for me, so I thought I might post the idea here to get some ideas for some backstory. What I've got so far is obviously this individual is a bit of a rogue from Adar...perhaps an individual who became too obsessed with his/her fight with the Inspired and Riedra and fell into a darker path...perhaps he or she linked up with. As for the dragon link, I found the sidebar in DoE regarding gem dragons (if you choose to include them in your game, which I might), ie the option of them possibly being the end result of quori possession tampering with chromatic/metallic dragons. For a more psionic flair, perhaps this kalashtar, already strange as hell for his or her arcane talents, fell in with one of these tampered gem dragons and used them as a path to power? This is all just in the fledgling development stage and none of the ideas are right now set in stone. Your thoughts on possibilities for storyline for a kalashtar dragon disciple?
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 12-16-07, 05:39 PM	Hmm . . . falling in with a gem dragon. That could definitely work. Or I wonder . . . I've read Gates of Dawn, and it includes the Draconic Eidolon. It's in Dal Quori. Basically, it's the conglomeration of the dreams of countless dragon spirits. They define eidolon in such a way that points out that the Silver Flame is an immense eidolon. Maybe your quori ancestor had ties to that eidolon. Perhaps it's even a rogue fragment of the eidolon and not a true quori. Or maybe it's a growing connection, as your work with the quori and Inspired begins to break down your seal and allow you to (at least partially) reconnect with Dal Quor, at least through the Draconic Eidolon. It's part of some research on their part for how to call back the renegade quori in the kalashtar without having to wipe them all out. Who knows? If your quori ancestor is reconnecting, shouldn't your entire line be? And in that case, this is a massive weapon for the Inspired, as it would make eliminating the line so much easier. If their research is completed, if they capture just one member of the line, they can wrench the full quori out of the entire line, eliminating it. You'd have the opportunity to spread hints about this first, as perhaps other members of your kalashtar's line begin to have disturbing visions - maybe even their first nightmares.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 12-20-07, 04:29 AM	Good suggestion so far but I have another idea that may "inspire". When fleeing the plane of dreams the quori spirits fled and hid in the dreams of many powerful beings of the mortal realms. This includes dragons, who though sympathetic to their fight, were unwilling to provide aid to match what was eventually given by the sarlonan monks. Perhaps then you have found the child or even the (very old to say the least) same dragon who's mind your spirit hid in when it was whole. Indeed I like the idea of the original who regrets his shameful refusal to aid an innocent spirit in its time of need teaching you arts long hidden from most as a means of atoning for his ancient failing of duty.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 12-20-07, 09:35 AM	Damn. I like that one. It's not the world-shattering quest centered around my backstory, but I sincerely like Terjon's idea. Seems like a better PC backstory, but hey. It's good. I'd personally prefer to use it for a dragon descendent than a dragon disciple. (Check Dragon Magic: it's a monk PrC. And considering the kalashtar tendency to produce monks . . .)