Kalashtar Thrallherd? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Kalashtar Thrallherd? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ENDER988
10-15-04, 09:44 PM I'm thinking of playing a Kalashtar for our new Eberron Campaign, but I've been wanting to play a Thrallherd for a while and was wondering if this class/race could ever go well together from a RP standpoint? I mean, Kalashtar are pretty charismatic, so there's no problem there, but they don't really have much influence in Khorvaire...Could anyone help with a suitable background for this combination?
Zerathidune
10-15-04, 10:53 PM thrallheard has nothing to do with political influence. servants are drawn to a thrallheard because of a psionic energy that eminates from them. they're basically mind slaves, and I don't know how this would be acceptable from an ethical standpoint. that seems to be the real issue with a kalastar becoming one, as they tipically are so righteous. certainly, however there are exceptions.
Just another user
10-16-04, 11:12 AM If a red dragon can be good I can't see any reason why a kalastar cannot be evil, maybe that was the reason that make him leave Adar in the first place.
Thuragrun
10-16-04, 02:56 PM Playing a Thrallherd will make your DM hate you. I just ran one as an npc and would never allow one as a pc. Just my opinion.
Aaramis
10-16-04, 07:43 PM I'm no Hellcow, but here's my 2cp on it.

Officially, I'd say it's not a viable combination. Making slaves is the way of the Dreaming Dark, with their insidious ways, not the way of the Kalashtar who's Path of Light would seem to contradict the immoral use of psionics to dominate the will of another.
As the Eberron sourcebook suggests, Thrallherd is more of a prestige class suited to the Inspired.

Unofficially. Hey, it's your character, do what you like :)
If you can find a way to justify psionic domination, then go for it. Or hey, make your character evil. I suppose anything's possible. Maybe your character was corrupted somehow (psionics, magic, some artifact?, etc.) and has since lost their way.
*shrug* I'm sure you can think something up.
Janus Krug
10-16-04, 09:44 PM Who's to say that a Kalashtar has no love for the path of the Light, but none for the Dreaming Dark either? Perhaps this Kalashtar believes both to be flawed, and that his own path is the right one. Perhaps this particular Kalashtar creates his thralls to prove his power, the power to control the minds of other beings, to combat both the dreaming dark and the path of light, the fools that they are.
EvilDrPuma
10-17-04, 01:25 AM A kalashtar thrallherd would not be popular among the mainstream of his society...but if Eberron is about shades of gray, the possibility exists.
SahinTC
10-17-04, 04:08 AM You'll notice there's nothing exactly mentioning the training of a thrallherd. I would personally play it like the Kalashtar had no idea they were a thrallherd... as in he has no clue why people are starting to become so attracted to him, and why people are starting to listen to him. He's just so psionically attuned he starts outputting the call for aide.
But this is just my two coppers' worth.

Oh, and "Just my 2cp"? I love it. :). Made me chuckle.
Gurv
10-17-04, 11:51 AM You'll notice there's nothing exactly mentioning the training of a thrallherd. I would personally play it like the Kalashtar had no idea they were a thrallherd... as in he has no clue why people are starting to become so attracted to him, and why people are starting to listen to him. He's just so psionically attuned he starts outputting the call for aide.
But this is just my two coppers' worth.

Oh, and "Just my 2cp"? I love it. :). Made me chuckle.

I like this idea, of a character with an ability that he didn't seek. If he treats the thralls and believers he accidently calls with respect, its possible to maintain a good alignment. Think of the powers of some of the X-men: a telepath might unknowing be controlling tons of people without knowing.

A kalashtar thrallherd who is aware of his powers would not be the norm. But nothing says that all kalashtar are good; one could be deluded in his actions and think that controlling people is the only way to help them. I think that he would be best off not letting on that he is in fact a thrallherd, else the other kalashtar might try to stop him. The prestige class has no alignment restrictions, but it is hard to use the powers of a thrallherd without stepping into the darker parts of the grey area.

Here is another possibility, with some Eberron flavor:

What if a particular kalashtar's mortal spirit began to overpower, to dominate, the quori spirit that he shares? If the kalahtar's connection to the quori spirit grew so strong that he started to overwrite that spirit entirely? What if that domination effect became so strong that it began to affect the entire quori spirit, corrupting all other kalashtar that shared that spirit? These kalashtar, with an intregal part of their spirit hearing a subtle psychic call, come to work for the being with a dominant part in their own souls.

In this case, the thrallherd would attract only other kalashtar, those who shared his own quori spirit. But it might add more flavor to the class than a 'mere' master of mind control. And it could also be combined with the 'I didn't know I was doing it' concept. I like the idea of a character in denial about why he has so many insanely loyal friends.

"Jealous! You're all jealous! Just because people like me more than they'll ever like you! Jealous I say!"
Kolakuba
10-18-04, 02:06 AM I can't see the problem with playing a kalashtar thrallherd. A thrallherd doesn't necessarily have to be evil or even neutral. You could portray the character as a freedom loving kalashtar in exile, obsessed with freeing his people. When taking the thrallherd class, the DM could portray the telepathic call as a cry for help from not only the character, but from the kalashtar as a race. From all across Khorvaire people come, responding to the call and eager to help out in the character's struggle to free the kalashtar.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ENDER988 10-15-04, 09:44 PM	I'm thinking of playing a Kalashtar for our new Eberron Campaign, but I've been wanting to play a Thrallherd for a while and was wondering if this class/race could ever go well together from a RP standpoint? I mean, Kalashtar are pretty charismatic, so there's no problem there, but they don't really have much influence in Khorvaire...Could anyone help with a suitable background for this combination?
Zerathidune 10-15-04, 10:53 PM	thrallheard has nothing to do with political influence. servants are drawn to a thrallheard because of a psionic energy that eminates from them. they're basically mind slaves, and I don't know how this would be acceptable from an ethical standpoint. that seems to be the real issue with a kalastar becoming one, as they tipically are so righteous. certainly, however there are exceptions.
Just another user 10-16-04, 11:12 AM	If a red dragon can be good I can't see any reason why a kalastar cannot be evil, maybe that was the reason that make him leave Adar in the first place.
Thuragrun 10-16-04, 02:56 PM	Playing a Thrallherd will make your DM hate you. I just ran one as an npc and would never allow one as a pc. Just my opinion.
Aaramis 10-16-04, 07:43 PM	I'm no Hellcow, but here's my 2cp on it. Officially, I'd say it's not a viable combination. Making slaves is the way of the Dreaming Dark, with their insidious ways, not the way of the Kalashtar who's Path of Light would seem to contradict the immoral use of psionics to dominate the will of another. As the Eberron sourcebook suggests, Thrallherd is more of a prestige class suited to the Inspired. Unofficially. Hey, it's your character, do what you like :) If you can find a way to justify psionic domination, then go for it. Or hey, make your character evil. I suppose anything's possible. Maybe your character was corrupted somehow (psionics, magic, some artifact?, etc.) and has since lost their way. shrug I'm sure you can think something up.
Janus Krug 10-16-04, 09:44 PM	Who's to say that a Kalashtar has no love for the path of the Light, but none for the Dreaming Dark either? Perhaps this Kalashtar believes both to be flawed, and that his own path is the right one. Perhaps this particular Kalashtar creates his thralls to prove his power, the power to control the minds of other beings, to combat both the dreaming dark and the path of light, the fools that they are.
EvilDrPuma 10-17-04, 01:25 AM	A kalashtar thrallherd would not be popular among the mainstream of his society...but if Eberron is about shades of gray, the possibility exists.
SahinTC 10-17-04, 04:08 AM	You'll notice there's nothing exactly mentioning the training of a thrallherd. I would personally play it like the Kalashtar had no idea they were a thrallherd... as in he has no clue why people are starting to become so attracted to him, and why people are starting to listen to him. He's just so psionically attuned he starts outputting the call for aide. But this is just my two coppers' worth. Oh, and "Just my 2cp"? I love it. :). Made me chuckle.
Gurv 10-17-04, 11:51 AM	You'll notice there's nothing exactly mentioning the training of a thrallherd. I would personally play it like the Kalashtar had no idea they were a thrallherd... as in he has no clue why people are starting to become so attracted to him, and why people are starting to listen to him. He's just so psionically attuned he starts outputting the call for aide. But this is just my two coppers' worth. Oh, and "Just my 2cp"? I love it. :). Made me chuckle. I like this idea, of a character with an ability that he didn't seek. If he treats the thralls and believers he accidently calls with respect, its possible to maintain a good alignment. Think of the powers of some of the X-men: a telepath might unknowing be controlling tons of people without knowing. A kalashtar thrallherd who is aware of his powers would not be the norm. But nothing says that all kalashtar are good; one could be deluded in his actions and think that controlling people is the only way to help them. I think that he would be best off not letting on that he is in fact a thrallherd, else the other kalashtar might try to stop him. The prestige class has no alignment restrictions, but it is hard to use the powers of a thrallherd without stepping into the darker parts of the grey area. Here is another possibility, with some Eberron flavor: What if a particular kalashtar's mortal spirit began to overpower, to dominate, the quori spirit that he shares? If the kalahtar's connection to the quori spirit grew so strong that he started to overwrite that spirit entirely? What if that domination effect became so strong that it began to affect the entire quori spirit, corrupting all other kalashtar that shared that spirit? These kalashtar, with an intregal part of their spirit hearing a subtle psychic call, come to work for the being with a dominant part in their own souls. In this case, the thrallherd would attract only other kalashtar, those who shared his own quori spirit. But it might add more flavor to the class than a 'mere' master of mind control. And it could also be combined with the 'I didn't know I was doing it' concept. I like the idea of a character in denial about why he has so many insanely loyal friends. "Jealous! You're all jealous! Just because people like me more than they'll ever like you! Jealous I say!"
Kolakuba 10-18-04, 02:06 AM	I can't see the problem with playing a kalashtar thrallherd. A thrallherd doesn't necessarily have to be evil or even neutral. You could portray the character as a freedom loving kalashtar in exile, obsessed with freeing his people. When taking the thrallherd class, the DM could portray the telepathic call as a cry for help from not only the character, but from the kalashtar as a race. From all across Khorvaire people come, responding to the call and eager to help out in the character's struggle to free the kalashtar.