Psiforged Purpose [Archive] - Wizards Community

Psiforged Purpose [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AlHazred
02-17-07, 01:48 PM Ever since a player made a psiforged for my Eberron campaign, I've been considering their writeup in MoE; that thought has intensified since I got Secrets of Sarlona. I note that there's this mystery of their creation, specifically about the Five Progenitors (MoE 26) as well as the creation of the later psiforged (MoE 40). Anyway, I got to thinking about what sort of plot I could craft around these seeds, and I've developed writer's block about it. I note a few things:

1) The first psi-forged emerged from the Mournland. They've disappeared, and it appears that they are being hunted/hounded by quori entities, given the descriptions. (MoE 25)
2) PC psi-forged were made later, but those making them have forgotten that they did so. (MoE 39)
3) Psi-forged contain a large amount of deep crystal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/specialMaterials.htm) in their makeup. Deep crystal is "psionically resonant," which is not a defined term and seems to have vague, plot-driven in-game effects. (XPH 182, also SoS 135)
4) It's been noted that kalashtar are fascinated by the warforged (RoE 67). Since kalashtar are completely involved in their spiritual considerations (SoS 15). Perhaps there's something particularly interesting for the dreamless kalashtar in another sentient race that doesn't dream. Perhaps some kalashtar believe that dreamless souls must originate on Dal Quor, and so they believe the warforged receive their life force from the Realm of Dreams?

At first I thought, "Hmmm, creatures who can't dream, who are made out of crystal. Perhaps they're traps for quori entities, sort of like a Quori Mindhunter (MoE 77)." However, were that the case, they'd be made with khyber dragonshards, not deep crystals.

My second thought had a more sinister take. Okay, they can't be used to trap quori, but what if they were designed with the opposite goal in mind? What if Merrix d'Cannith was Inspired by his dreams to create the psiforged as miniature, mobile hanbalani altas (Riedran monoliths), designed to spread the influence of Dal Quor across Khorvaire? But why now?

Then I thought about the Progenitors. They are definitely different from the rest of the psiforged, having come out of the Mournland. What if they are the result of a renegade quori spirit seeking to migrate to Eberron like the kalashtar did, and it chose a weak spot located in one of the ruined creation forges in the Mournaland to do it? But the forge would have needed deep crystals to make the psiforged, so it would have needed accomplices. Perhaps a sect of kalashtar made the journey on dream instructions from Taratai (SoS 24), who has chosen to return to Eberron in this way -- instead of a line of kalashtar, the Progenitor psiforged become the new line of Taratai. In that case, the later psiforged creations could either be empty vessels Taratai motivated House Cannith to make, for some long-term goal; or perhaps it's the opposite, the psiforged were Inspired by Dreaming Dark agents to make vessels with which to hunt the Progenitors. In any case, if the psiforged Progenitors are hybrid spirits, it would explain the danger they're in. Plus, two Progenitors are on another plane -- perhaps they're taking the fight to Dal Quor?

I need other input, my well has run dry. Any other ideas?
Edymnion
02-17-07, 02:45 PM that thought has intensified since I got Secrets of Sarlona.Is that out already?
AlHazred
02-17-07, 02:49 PM Yes, sir!

Thought it was decent, too. In general, I've liked Keith Baker's Eberron books, in proportion to how close his name is to the top. For Secrets of Sarlona, his name is at the top.
Edymnion
02-17-07, 02:52 PM Yes, sir!

Thought it was decent, too. In general, I've liked Keith Baker's Eberron books, in proportion to how close his name is to the top. For Secrets of Sarlona, his name is at the top.Damn, guess I'll have to go out earlier than planned tonight and pick it up on the way to my party.
UnkemptSage
02-17-07, 08:35 PM You have some sound ideas. I'd suggest an alternate point of view, though, which is the one that I thought of after reading the short parody of "The Blair Witch Project" in MoE: the psiforged progenitors are, for whatever reason, unstable. Perhaps they have grown increasingly unstable since they left the Mournland, and because of that have fled civilization in hopes of protecting other people from the things their minds could do to them. I admit, your story is a lot better, and even makes more sense, but the conclusion I drew wouldn't be necessarily out of place mixing with it.
dunkeykong
02-18-07, 02:56 AM I think your ideas have some merit, though I dont agree with most of them. I do however applaud your original thinking on a topis that has gotten little attention.
UnkemptSage
02-19-07, 10:29 AM I can understand you not agreeing. That was just the conclusion I had drawn right from the start, and in retrospect, it wasn't very well thought out. Still, feel free to adapt it for your use if you like.
SSj3goblin
02-19-07, 10:35 AM My second thought had a more sinister take. Okay, they can't be used to trap quori, but what if they were designed with the opposite goal in mind? What if Merrix d'Cannith was Inspired by his dreams to create the psiforged as miniature, mobile hanbalani altas (Riedran monoliths), designed to spread the influence of Dal Quor across Khorvaire? But why now?

Interesting theory, really. I'll steal it.
But how do you tie this up with the magic of Eberron intro to Psiforged and the progenitors. Also, why aren't there any psiforged in Sarlona?
Subtle Knife
02-19-07, 12:01 PM I'd like to pose a different hypothesis: Perhaps the Progenitor Psiforged were not created as such, but rather used a Creation Forge to modify themselves.

A small group of psiforged discovered the truth of their creation - that the original methods of creating the warforged were the product of the Quori form the last turning of that plane's age, such that they could be used as immortal hosts to Quori spirits fleeing their plane. Generations of giant, drow, and human intervention had deeply modified the original method, but five ancient docents found in Xendrik detailed this original method, wherein extensive use of psionically-resonant crystal would preserve and amplify the psionic abilities of the inhabiting Quori spirit.

Using the knowledge provided by these docents, the Progenitors used their extensive abilities and access to an abandoned creation forge to modify the composition of their bodies (or alternately, created new Psiforged bodies and transferred their consciousnesses using psionic abilities or Circlets of Preservation).

The Inspired/Dreaming Dark is very interested in two things: the psiforged themselves (who could be useful pawns or dangerous foes), and the ancient and benevolent Quori Spirits that inhabit the docents bourne by the Progenitors (who are powerful though trapped, and might be freed to join the current age of Il-Lavastar).

Perhaps much is lost (knowledge, etc) with the turning of ages in Dal Quor, and the Inspired seek the ancient knowledge and power that these Docent Spirits might have. Perhaps they fear that knowledge and those powers, as well as the agenda that the Docent Spirits might have. Regardless, the Quori are single-mindedly hunting the Progenitors, seeking any evidence of where they might be.

SK
Subtle Knife
02-23-07, 08:48 PM What I haven't puzzled out is who might now be producing newer psiforged and why. I've had a couple of thoughts:

1) Perhaps the Progenitor psiforged, now hunted and in hiding, had another companion, perhaps a Kalashtar mentor who trained them, and is now using their instructions to produce further psiforged.

2) Perhaps one of the Progenitor warforged themselves retreated back into the Mournland and started to produce further psiforged as allies. (as an aside, I'd thought that the Progenitors might have diverse psionic classes; I envision Psychic Warrior/Soulknife, a Nomad, a Lurk, an Ardent, and a Psionic Artificer; let me know what you think!)

3) Perhaps the Progenitors were originally "mentored" or "patron", who was in turn acting for Merrix d'Cannith, who provided them with knowledge of where they might find a lost Creation Forge, how to use it without a Dragonmark, etc.; the methods by which the Progenitors "reinvented" themselves were poached once they'd left the Mournland, and Merrix has since made this his "pet project", experimenting with varied forms of this creation pattern.

At this point, I'm actually most seriously considering the second option; I like the idea of finding one of the Progenitors hidden within the Mournland. Thoughts?

SK

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AlHazred 02-17-07, 01:48 PM	Ever since a player made a psiforged for my Eberron campaign, I've been considering their writeup in MoE; that thought has intensified since I got Secrets of Sarlona. I note that there's this mystery of their creation, specifically about the Five Progenitors (MoE 26) as well as the creation of the later psiforged (MoE 40). Anyway, I got to thinking about what sort of plot I could craft around these seeds, and I've developed writer's block about it. I note a few things: 1) The first psi-forged emerged from the Mournland. They've disappeared, and it appears that they are being hunted/hounded by quori entities, given the descriptions. (MoE 25) 2) PC psi-forged were made later, but those making them have forgotten that they did so. (MoE 39) 3) Psi-forged contain a large amount of deep crystal (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/specialMaterials.htm) in their makeup. Deep crystal is "psionically resonant," which is not a defined term and seems to have vague, plot-driven in-game effects. (XPH 182, also SoS 135) 4) It's been noted that kalashtar are fascinated by the warforged (RoE 67). Since kalashtar are completely involved in their spiritual considerations (SoS 15). Perhaps there's something particularly interesting for the dreamless kalashtar in another sentient race that doesn't dream. Perhaps some kalashtar believe that dreamless souls must originate on Dal Quor, and so they believe the warforged receive their life force from the Realm of Dreams? At first I thought, "Hmmm, creatures who can't dream, who are made out of crystal. Perhaps they're traps for quori entities, sort of like a Quori Mindhunter (MoE 77)." However, were that the case, they'd be made with khyber dragonshards, not deep crystals. My second thought had a more sinister take. Okay, they can't be used to trap quori, but what if they were designed with the opposite goal in mind? What if Merrix d'Cannith was Inspired by his dreams to create the psiforged as miniature, mobile hanbalani altas (Riedran monoliths), designed to spread the influence of Dal Quor across Khorvaire? But why now? Then I thought about the Progenitors. They are definitely different from the rest of the psiforged, having come out of the Mournland. What if they are the result of a renegade quori spirit seeking to migrate to Eberron like the kalashtar did, and it chose a weak spot located in one of the ruined creation forges in the Mournaland to do it? But the forge would have needed deep crystals to make the psiforged, so it would have needed accomplices. Perhaps a sect of kalashtar made the journey on dream instructions from Taratai (SoS 24), who has chosen to return to Eberron in this way -- instead of a line of kalashtar, the Progenitor psiforged become the new line of Taratai. In that case, the later psiforged creations could either be empty vessels Taratai motivated House Cannith to make, for some long-term goal; or perhaps it's the opposite, the psiforged were Inspired by Dreaming Dark agents to make vessels with which to hunt the Progenitors. In any case, if the psiforged Progenitors are hybrid spirits, it would explain the danger they're in. Plus, two Progenitors are on another plane -- perhaps they're taking the fight to Dal Quor? I need other input, my well has run dry. Any other ideas?
Edymnion 02-17-07, 02:45 PM	that thought has intensified since I got Secrets of Sarlona.Is that out already?
AlHazred 02-17-07, 02:49 PM	Yes, sir! Thought it was decent, too. In general, I've liked Keith Baker's Eberron books, in proportion to how close his name is to the top. For Secrets of Sarlona, his name is at the top.
Edymnion 02-17-07, 02:52 PM	Yes, sir! Thought it was decent, too. In general, I've liked Keith Baker's Eberron books, in proportion to how close his name is to the top. For Secrets of Sarlona, his name is at the top.Damn, guess I'll have to go out earlier than planned tonight and pick it up on the way to my party.
UnkemptSage 02-17-07, 08:35 PM	You have some sound ideas. I'd suggest an alternate point of view, though, which is the one that I thought of after reading the short parody of "The Blair Witch Project" in MoE: the psiforged progenitors are, for whatever reason, unstable. Perhaps they have grown increasingly unstable since they left the Mournland, and because of that have fled civilization in hopes of protecting other people from the things their minds could do to them. I admit, your story is a lot better, and even makes more sense, but the conclusion I drew wouldn't be necessarily out of place mixing with it.
dunkeykong 02-18-07, 02:56 AM	I think your ideas have some merit, though I dont agree with most of them. I do however applaud your original thinking on a topis that has gotten little attention.
UnkemptSage 02-19-07, 10:29 AM	I can understand you not agreeing. That was just the conclusion I had drawn right from the start, and in retrospect, it wasn't very well thought out. Still, feel free to adapt it for your use if you like.
SSj3goblin 02-19-07, 10:35 AM	My second thought had a more sinister take. Okay, they can't be used to trap quori, but what if they were designed with the opposite goal in mind? What if Merrix d'Cannith was Inspired by his dreams to create the psiforged as miniature, mobile hanbalani altas (Riedran monoliths), designed to spread the influence of Dal Quor across Khorvaire? But why now? Interesting theory, really. I'll steal it. But how do you tie this up with the magic of Eberron intro to Psiforged and the progenitors. Also, why aren't there any psiforged in Sarlona?
Subtle Knife 02-19-07, 12:01 PM	I'd like to pose a different hypothesis: Perhaps the Progenitor Psiforged were not created as such, but rather used a Creation Forge to modify themselves. A small group of psiforged discovered the truth of their creation - that the original methods of creating the warforged were the product of the Quori form the last turning of that plane's age, such that they could be used as immortal hosts to Quori spirits fleeing their plane. Generations of giant, drow, and human intervention had deeply modified the original method, but five ancient docents found in Xendrik detailed this original method, wherein extensive use of psionically-resonant crystal would preserve and amplify the psionic abilities of the inhabiting Quori spirit. Using the knowledge provided by these docents, the Progenitors used their extensive abilities and access to an abandoned creation forge to modify the composition of their bodies (or alternately, created new Psiforged bodies and transferred their consciousnesses using psionic abilities or Circlets of Preservation). The Inspired/Dreaming Dark is very interested in two things: the psiforged themselves (who could be useful pawns or dangerous foes), and the ancient and benevolent Quori Spirits that inhabit the docents bourne by the Progenitors (who are powerful though trapped, and might be freed to join the current age of Il-Lavastar). Perhaps much is lost (knowledge, etc) with the turning of ages in Dal Quor, and the Inspired seek the ancient knowledge and power that these Docent Spirits might have. Perhaps they fear that knowledge and those powers, as well as the agenda that the Docent Spirits might have. Regardless, the Quori are single-mindedly hunting the Progenitors, seeking any evidence of where they might be. SK
Subtle Knife 02-23-07, 08:48 PM	What I haven't puzzled out is who might now be producing newer psiforged and why. I've had a couple of thoughts: 1) Perhaps the Progenitor psiforged, now hunted and in hiding, had another companion, perhaps a Kalashtar mentor who trained them, and is now using their instructions to produce further psiforged. 2) Perhaps one of the Progenitor warforged themselves retreated back into the Mournland and started to produce further psiforged as allies. (as an aside, I'd thought that the Progenitors might have diverse psionic classes; I envision Psychic Warrior/Soulknife, a Nomad, a Lurk, an Ardent, and a Psionic Artificer; let me know what you think!) 3) Perhaps the Progenitors were originally "mentored" or "patron", who was in turn acting for Merrix d'Cannith, who provided them with knowledge of where they might find a lost Creation Forge, how to use it without a Dragonmark, etc.; the methods by which the Progenitors "reinvented" themselves were poached once they'd left the Mournland, and Merrix has since made this his "pet project", experimenting with varied forms of this creation pattern. At this point, I'm actually most seriously considering the second option; I like the idea of finding one of the Progenitors hidden within the Mournland. Thoughts? SK