Playing an Inspired or Chosen [Archive] - Wizards Community

Playing an Inspired or Chosen [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mysteris
09-18-07, 11:13 AM Hello!

I've been reading through Secrets of Sarlona and I thought it might be interesting for a PC to play one of the Chosen or the Inspired. How would that work? Would the PC be treated (mechanically) as just a human or a kalashtar? Or would there be other benefits or drawbacks?

Also, I'm a bit confused on the terminology. As I understand it, both the Inspired and the Chosen are possessed by Quori spirits, but the Inspired are higher-ranking. Is that right?

Thanks! :)
Ricohard_Draconis
09-18-07, 11:33 AM IIRC the stats for Inspired are in the monster section of the campaign setting.
Kinger
09-18-07, 11:49 AM To the best of my recollection, "Inspired" refer to the quori-host possession combo. They're effectively the Quori with a humanoid form.

"Chosen" are these humanoid forms when they're not being possessed.

The problem with playing these as PCs are numerous, though. A Chosen, for example, has no chance to resist possession by her designated Quori. No save, nothing. Bam, possessed. As a result, you as the DM would need to do a lot of hand-waving to explain why the character was always under the player's control, and never yours. The character would always have to be doing the Dreaming Dark's bidding, and not in the 'Ha, we tricked you!' sort of way, but a 'yes sir at once sir' sort of way.

Inspired? Yeah, they've got Quori possessing them. Nasty, evil outsider Quori with fingers in every pie and schemes stretching millenia into the past and future. Inspired are significantly more powerful than ordinairy Chosen, too, what with the "you get everything the Quori has on top of what you already have" thing. It's the equivalent of asking to play an Astral Deva. How do you balance that?
maollelujah
09-26-07, 07:23 AM A Chosen, for example, has no chance to resist possession by her designated Quori.

There is atleast one line that has no chance of being possessed by their designated Quori, since it has been bound by the Kalashtar. So there might be other lines that haven't been 'Inspired' in a long time due to the same reason.
eehamburg
09-26-07, 09:31 AM There is atleast one line that has no chance of being possessed by their designated Quori, since it has been bound by the Kalashtar. So there might be other lines that haven't been 'Inspired' in a long time due to the same reason.
Not really since that is the reason for the Kalashtar in the first place. If it was to happen again, then they would be Kalashtar. Chosen are vessels for hte Quori. Plan and simple. It says so in the RAW. Anything else is a DM-changed world.
ZeroSD
09-26-07, 10:03 PM Chosen are the potential vessel for Quori, and sometimes called empty vessels. An empty host family can be easily possessed by the Quori tied to their family, but even if that Quori is bound, they can be possessed by others, just without as much ease. An empty vessel can easily be a PC and they possess both the human racial abilities, and some but not all of the Kalashtar ones and are ECL +1 and can be found in the Inspired section of the Eberron main book. An Empty vessel from Riedra was probably born of a family that trained and groomed her/him to become an Inspired and otherwise follow their way of life, but may have fled at some point for whatever reason or otherwise become an adventurer and can make great PCs. An Inspired has an evil Quori in their heads, so a lot less so.

Kalashtar are partial vessels for the good Quori and are all linked to the particular quori based on bloodlines. They don't dream, unlike Empty Vessel, and get some of the memories of their bound family Quori. They're different from Inspired (which are out-and-out-possessed) or Chosen/Empty vessels (which are not possessed at all but can become so) in having a willing link with their host Quori.
maollelujah
09-27-07, 10:47 AM Not really since that is the reason for the Kalashtar in the first place. If it was to happen again, then they would be Kalashtar. Chosen are vessels for hte Quori. Plan and simple. It says so in the RAW. Anything else is a DM-changed world.

The Chosen are vessels for the Quori, but there is at least one Chosen line who gets saves against all quori possession, because their designated Quori has been bound by the Kalashtar. I can't remember the name of the Kalarq though.

My guess is that there are probably other Quori spirits that have been bound or destroyed since the founding of the Inspired, meaning there might be other lines that have no designated Quori spirit to possess them without a save. This makes it possible to create a viable Chosen character without all the hassle of Quori possession and they won't be anything like Kalashtar, just supped up humans.
eehamburg
09-27-07, 12:25 PM The Chosen are vessels for the Quori, but there is at least one Chosen line who gets saves against all quori possession, because their designated Quori has been bound by the Kalashtar. I can't remember the name of the Kalarq though.

My guess is that there are probably other Quori spirits that have been bound or destroyed since the founding of the Inspired, meaning there might be other lines that have no designated Quori spirit to possess them without a save. This makes it possible to create a viable Chosen character without all the hassle of Quori possession and they won't be anything like Kalashtar, just supped up humans.
And what makes you think that? When all of the evidence says that it was just the one. The idea behind the Chosen is that they are to be the vessels for the Quori and thus are not good for Player Characters. Even KB said so at one point in the past. So where does it says that there could be others like the Kalashtar or whatever that are thus Chosen but don't have to worry about Quori possession? Where is that?
Kinger
09-27-07, 02:40 PM I have a question: If the Quori that would normally bind a line of Chosen has been bound/imprisoned/rendered incapable of possession for the forseeable future, why would the Dreaming Dark continue to breed that line? They're not necessary, and are in fact potentially dangerous for all the reasons you've mentioned.

I can understand if the Quori was bound last Thursday then the Dreaming Dark haven't gotten around to phasing out that Chosen line. But if there's been any significant amount of time? I wouldn't think so.
ZeroSD
09-27-07, 03:22 PM There's no reason another Quori couldn't start using them and in all probability that's what happens- someone has to fill the bound Quori's job. It'll just take a few generations to be perfectly synced but a new Quori to Riedra isn't going to have any Chosen breed just for them anyway.

Also on playing a Chosen, if you come from a large family or run away from home, the Quori might not know where you are or have much interest in using you most of the time. Still, invest in possession-b-gone gear.
Wih
10-02-07, 02:56 AM Firstly, Empty Vessels aren't the great stat-wise.
Secondly, unless you either have a class feature or an item that makes you immune to posession, or you're working with the Dreaming Dark, then you're not an appropriate PC choice, as you get posessed. Fullstop. AFAIK it's not just one Quori that can posess you, it's ANY.
Either be working with them, or have an item of constant Protection from Evil - your choice.
ZeroSD
10-02-07, 07:24 AM AFAIK it's not just one Quori that can posess you, it's ANY.

The Sarlona book only mentions a Quori bound to the specific line as not having to worry about Charisma limits and the like. Other might be usable but they don't have the same ease- I guess that's why there's no host-poaching problems.

Plus it's not like Quori are searching for you to possess constantly- if you're not obviously opposed to the Dreaming Dark, you can make it as a Chosen and probably not be possessed at all until you start to get high enough level where buying a permanent anti-possession item is feasible.
CannibalSmith
10-02-07, 01:30 PM Okay. You're an empty vessel. Now what? On what kind of adventures you embark on? Hell, why would you want to adventure at all?
Mysteris
10-02-07, 02:02 PM Well, an empty vessel might chafe under the training they've undergone. It's not impossible to want to see more than what's been told, and equally, an empty vessel might have had contact with the outside world that its' possessing spirit wasn't there to be aware of. This could inspire curiousity about foreign lands or even disgust with the way things are done in Riedra. Similiarly, a bright mind who took an "unhealthy" interest in the ruins of old Sarlona might have cause to seek a way to be free of possession, at least long enough to satisfy their curiousity (and maybe discover some truths along the way).
JulesCARV
10-02-07, 02:04 PM Just because you might be possessed by a quori doesn't mean you or your quori possessor will be working for the Dreaming Dark. You might work for the state of Riedra instead.
Wih
10-02-07, 09:28 PM Gar, I knew I was missing out on something. Since I live in the corner of the end of the world (Also known as Wellington, New Zealand), after nearly half a year of trying we still haven't got Secrets of Sarlona in.

By the guidelines, an item of constant Protection from Evil (or any other alignment) would cost 4000gp. Not that much, especially for a plot-important item.
ZeroSD
10-03-07, 02:09 AM Here's a plot hook: You were possessed by a Quori who was having second thoughts about their way of life after centuries of helping running Riedra, a low grunt on the Quori totem pole perhaps, and was possibly even considering joining the Kalashtar. One day while the Quori was in Dal Quor instead of Eberron, it's superiors found out and it was killed.

So the character suffers partially from the 'mind seed' effects of possession, but of a a neutral or good Quori who anticipating the need to run, whispered truths about Riedra and the Quori in their ear. When the Quori didn't return, the character could tell something was wrong and contact the black market and from there managed to stow away with some foriegners to get off Riedra.
maollelujah
10-03-07, 03:38 PM have a question: If the Quori that would normally bind a line of Chosen has been bound/imprisoned/rendered incapable of possession for the forseeable future, why would the Dreaming Dark continue to breed that line? They're not necessary, and are in fact potentially dangerous for all the reasons you've mentioned.

I can understand if the Quori was bound last Thursday then the Dreaming Dark haven't gotten around to phasing out that Chosen line. But if there's been any significant amount of time? I wouldn't think so.

Genetics? Passing on their genetics is more advantageous than killing them? Maybe they don't know of the problem. Most of the Chosen would 'willing' allow themselves to be possessed, regardless if they could make a save and not allow it, so maybe the Quori don't realize that this is a potential problem.

I mean they've accidentally created the 'quorbred' and haven't managed to kill all them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mysteris 09-18-07, 11:13 AM	Hello! I've been reading through Secrets of Sarlona and I thought it might be interesting for a PC to play one of the Chosen or the Inspired. How would that work? Would the PC be treated (mechanically) as just a human or a kalashtar? Or would there be other benefits or drawbacks? Also, I'm a bit confused on the terminology. As I understand it, both the Inspired and the Chosen are possessed by Quori spirits, but the Inspired are higher-ranking. Is that right? Thanks! :)
Ricohard_Draconis 09-18-07, 11:33 AM	IIRC the stats for Inspired are in the monster section of the campaign setting.
Kinger 09-18-07, 11:49 AM	To the best of my recollection, "Inspired" refer to the quori-host possession combo. They're effectively the Quori with a humanoid form. "Chosen" are these humanoid forms when they're not being possessed. The problem with playing these as PCs are numerous, though. A Chosen, for example, has no chance to resist possession by her designated Quori. No save, nothing. Bam, possessed. As a result, you as the DM would need to do a lot of hand-waving to explain why the character was always under the player's control, and never yours. The character would always have to be doing the Dreaming Dark's bidding, and not in the 'Ha, we tricked you!' sort of way, but a 'yes sir at once sir' sort of way. Inspired? Yeah, they've got Quori possessing them. Nasty, evil outsider Quori with fingers in every pie and schemes stretching millenia into the past and future. Inspired are significantly more powerful than ordinairy Chosen, too, what with the "you get everything the Quori has on top of what you already have" thing. It's the equivalent of asking to play an Astral Deva. How do you balance that?
maollelujah 09-26-07, 07:23 AM	A Chosen, for example, has no chance to resist possession by her designated Quori. There is atleast one line that has no chance of being possessed by their designated Quori, since it has been bound by the Kalashtar. So there might be other lines that haven't been 'Inspired' in a long time due to the same reason.
eehamburg 09-26-07, 09:31 AM	There is atleast one line that has no chance of being possessed by their designated Quori, since it has been bound by the Kalashtar. So there might be other lines that haven't been 'Inspired' in a long time due to the same reason. Not really since that is the reason for the Kalashtar in the first place. If it was to happen again, then they would be Kalashtar. Chosen are vessels for hte Quori. Plan and simple. It says so in the RAW. Anything else is a DM-changed world.
ZeroSD 09-26-07, 10:03 PM	Chosen are the potential vessel for Quori, and sometimes called empty vessels. An empty host family can be easily possessed by the Quori tied to their family, but even if that Quori is bound, they can be possessed by others, just without as much ease. An empty vessel can easily be a PC and they possess both the human racial abilities, and some but not all of the Kalashtar ones and are ECL +1 and can be found in the Inspired section of the Eberron main book. An Empty vessel from Riedra was probably born of a family that trained and groomed her/him to become an Inspired and otherwise follow their way of life, but may have fled at some point for whatever reason or otherwise become an adventurer and can make great PCs. An Inspired has an evil Quori in their heads, so a lot less so. Kalashtar are partial vessels for the good Quori and are all linked to the particular quori based on bloodlines. They don't dream, unlike Empty Vessel, and get some of the memories of their bound family Quori. They're different from Inspired (which are out-and-out-possessed) or Chosen/Empty vessels (which are not possessed at all but can become so) in having a willing link with their host Quori.
maollelujah 09-27-07, 10:47 AM	Not really since that is the reason for the Kalashtar in the first place. If it was to happen again, then they would be Kalashtar. Chosen are vessels for hte Quori. Plan and simple. It says so in the RAW. Anything else is a DM-changed world. The Chosen are vessels for the Quori, but there is at least one Chosen line who gets saves against all quori possession, because their designated Quori has been bound by the Kalashtar. I can't remember the name of the Kalarq though. My guess is that there are probably other Quori spirits that have been bound or destroyed since the founding of the Inspired, meaning there might be other lines that have no designated Quori spirit to possess them without a save. This makes it possible to create a viable Chosen character without all the hassle of Quori possession and they won't be anything like Kalashtar, just supped up humans.
eehamburg 09-27-07, 12:25 PM	The Chosen are vessels for the Quori, but there is at least one Chosen line who gets saves against all quori possession, because their designated Quori has been bound by the Kalashtar. I can't remember the name of the Kalarq though. My guess is that there are probably other Quori spirits that have been bound or destroyed since the founding of the Inspired, meaning there might be other lines that have no designated Quori spirit to possess them without a save. This makes it possible to create a viable Chosen character without all the hassle of Quori possession and they won't be anything like Kalashtar, just supped up humans. And what makes you think that? When all of the evidence says that it was just the one. The idea behind the Chosen is that they are to be the vessels for the Quori and thus are not good for Player Characters. Even KB said so at one point in the past. So where does it says that there could be others like the Kalashtar or whatever that are thus Chosen but don't have to worry about Quori possession? Where is that?
Kinger 09-27-07, 02:40 PM	I have a question: If the Quori that would normally bind a line of Chosen has been bound/imprisoned/rendered incapable of possession for the forseeable future, why would the Dreaming Dark continue to breed that line? They're not necessary, and are in fact potentially dangerous for all the reasons you've mentioned. I can understand if the Quori was bound last Thursday then the Dreaming Dark haven't gotten around to phasing out that Chosen line. But if there's been any significant amount of time? I wouldn't think so.
ZeroSD 09-27-07, 03:22 PM	There's no reason another Quori couldn't start using them and in all probability that's what happens- someone has to fill the bound Quori's job. It'll just take a few generations to be perfectly synced but a new Quori to Riedra isn't going to have any Chosen breed just for them anyway. Also on playing a Chosen, if you come from a large family or run away from home, the Quori might not know where you are or have much interest in using you most of the time. Still, invest in possession-b-gone gear.
Wih 10-02-07, 02:56 AM	Firstly, Empty Vessels aren't the great stat-wise. Secondly, unless you either have a class feature or an item that makes you immune to posession, or you're working with the Dreaming Dark, then you're not an appropriate PC choice, as you get posessed. Fullstop. AFAIK it's not just one Quori that can posess you, it's ANY. Either be working with them, or have an item of constant Protection from Evil - your choice.
ZeroSD 10-02-07, 07:24 AM	AFAIK it's not just one Quori that can posess you, it's ANY. The Sarlona book only mentions a Quori bound to the specific line as not having to worry about Charisma limits and the like. Other might be usable but they don't have the same ease- I guess that's why there's no host-poaching problems. Plus it's not like Quori are searching for you to possess constantly- if you're not obviously opposed to the Dreaming Dark, you can make it as a Chosen and probably not be possessed at all until you start to get high enough level where buying a permanent anti-possession item is feasible.
CannibalSmith 10-02-07, 01:30 PM	Okay. You're an empty vessel. Now what? On what kind of adventures you embark on? Hell, why would you want to adventure at all?
Mysteris 10-02-07, 02:02 PM	Well, an empty vessel might chafe under the training they've undergone. It's not impossible to want to see more than what's been told, and equally, an empty vessel might have had contact with the outside world that its' possessing spirit wasn't there to be aware of. This could inspire curiousity about foreign lands or even disgust with the way things are done in Riedra. Similiarly, a bright mind who took an "unhealthy" interest in the ruins of old Sarlona might have cause to seek a way to be free of possession, at least long enough to satisfy their curiousity (and maybe discover some truths along the way).
JulesCARV 10-02-07, 02:04 PM	Just because you might be possessed by a quori doesn't mean you or your quori possessor will be working for the Dreaming Dark. You might work for the state of Riedra instead.
Wih 10-02-07, 09:28 PM	Gar, I knew I was missing out on something. Since I live in the corner of the end of the world (Also known as Wellington, New Zealand), after nearly half a year of trying we still haven't got Secrets of Sarlona in. By the guidelines, an item of constant Protection from Evil (or any other alignment) would cost 4000gp. Not that much, especially for a plot-important item.
ZeroSD 10-03-07, 02:09 AM	Here's a plot hook: You were possessed by a Quori who was having second thoughts about their way of life after centuries of helping running Riedra, a low grunt on the Quori totem pole perhaps, and was possibly even considering joining the Kalashtar. One day while the Quori was in Dal Quor instead of Eberron, it's superiors found out and it was killed. So the character suffers partially from the 'mind seed' effects of possession, but of a a neutral or good Quori who anticipating the need to run, whispered truths about Riedra and the Quori in their ear. When the Quori didn't return, the character could tell something was wrong and contact the black market and from there managed to stow away with some foriegners to get off Riedra.
maollelujah 10-03-07, 03:38 PM	have a question: If the Quori that would normally bind a line of Chosen has been bound/imprisoned/rendered incapable of possession for the forseeable future, why would the Dreaming Dark continue to breed that line? They're not necessary, and are in fact potentially dangerous for all the reasons you've mentioned. I can understand if the Quori was bound last Thursday then the Dreaming Dark haven't gotten around to phasing out that Chosen line. But if there's been any significant amount of time? I wouldn't think so. Genetics? Passing on their genetics is more advantageous than killing them? Maybe they don't know of the problem. Most of the Chosen would 'willing' allow themselves to be possessed, regardless if they could make a save and not allow it, so maybe the Quori don't realize that this is a potential problem. I mean they've accidentally created the 'quorbred' and haven't managed to kill all them.