Player character possessed by evil spirit - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Player character possessed by evil spirit

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
mikron
Jul 30, 2009 13:46:01 Hi everyone,

I'll be running my first campaign in Eberron and just collected ideas from our players.
One came up with the following character concept:

He likes to play a dark character that is sometimes possessed by something sinister - like a devil. He was thinking tiefling warlock but hasn't fully decided, yet.

I - and the other players - won't have a problem with that. We played with the player before who is a very good roleplayer and won't abuse it to create havoc among party members.

However, I wouldn't like for him to be dominated (in 4e terms) during combats.
Rather, I'm thinking something along the lines that I (as the evil creature) roll against his will defense once every day or so, and will give the player a note with what he should try to achieve (for the evil spirit) by wits rather than force - convincing his fellow adventureres to take on a specific quest, trying to bad-mouth an NPC that is in the way of the evil bloke's goal, etc...
... I don't know as yet. Maybe he made a pact with a devil, and now this devil uses him to reach his goals of ascending in the hierachy by gaining influence in the mortal world or something like that.

Does anybody have any ideas how to integrate the concept really well into a campaign and especially into a campaign set in Eberron?
We are all new to the setting and have only played Forgotten Realms and Homebrew before.

I'm very happy for all ideas and thoughts.

Cheers,
Michael
#2
ellorin
Jul 30, 2009 14:30:17 An interesting idea. I don't see the need for any implication of mechanics-it just happens.

It could be a traditional fiend, could be a quori(a fiendish spirit of nightmare), especially if the player's character is a Riedran. I rather like the latter. The Dreaming Dark usually employs "empty vessels", a group of carefully bred(mostly) humans, yet possessing a plain human is not unknown(of course, the character might be fluffwise a vessel-when the possession comes they are not supposed to have any choice over the matter if it is the Quori they were bred for). The character may be aware or not of the Quori's true nature and goals-after all, there are people who consider the QUori to be the lesser evil. On the other hand, you might prefer a more classic fiend, perhaps a member of the Lords of Dust.

Anyway, it's an interesting concept.
#3
Beleriphon
Jul 30, 2009 19:36:07 One of the Inspired Empty Vessels is perfect for this. They are specifically bred humans that the Quori can possess at will. Culturally they are taught that is the greatest honour so they make no attempt to resist.
#4
ront_iron-roar
Jul 30, 2009 20:33:34 It doesn't necessarily have to be a particular powerful fiend. In fact,. 3.5 Eberron had options for any evil Outsider to have the ability to possess people or objects. I believe it was run by the character and the fiend rolling charisma checks against one another everyday. If the fiend failed consecutively three times it couldn't take over.

I generally had the fiend take over during times of violence or inoppurtune times when the character wasn't expecting it. So more or less choose an evil immortal creature from somewhere keep its stats around and use its charisma.
#5
nthdegree256
Jul 31, 2009 1:03:46 Mechanically, I'd suggest keeping it in mind when you're designing combats for these PCs. You might want to give your fights little "escape hatch" toggles, places where you can easily deduct a monster or two if it turns out that the tiefling isn't going to be helping out much during the fight.

Flavor-wise, I agree with the others above that the Dreaming Dark would be a good setting-specific source for the possessing spirit.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 mikron Jul 30, 2009 13:46:01	Hi everyone, I'll be running my first campaign in Eberron and just collected ideas from our players. One came up with the following character concept: He likes to play a dark character that is sometimes possessed by something sinister - like a devil. He was thinking tiefling warlock but hasn't fully decided, yet. I - and the other players - won't have a problem with that. We played with the player before who is a very good roleplayer and won't abuse it to create havoc among party members. However, I wouldn't like for him to be dominated (in 4e terms) during combats. Rather, I'm thinking something along the lines that I (as the evil creature) roll against his will defense once every day or so, and will give the player a note with what he should try to achieve (for the evil spirit) by wits rather than force - convincing his fellow adventureres to take on a specific quest, trying to bad-mouth an NPC that is in the way of the evil bloke's goal, etc... ... I don't know as yet. Maybe he made a pact with a devil, and now this devil uses him to reach his goals of ascending in the hierachy by gaining influence in the mortal world or something like that. Does anybody have any ideas how to integrate the concept really well into a campaign and especially into a campaign set in Eberron? We are all new to the setting and have only played Forgotten Realms and Homebrew before. I'm very happy for all ideas and thoughts. Cheers, Michael
#2 ellorin Jul 30, 2009 14:30:17	An interesting idea. I don't see the need for any implication of mechanics-it just happens. It could be a traditional fiend, could be a quori(a fiendish spirit of nightmare), especially if the player's character is a Riedran. I rather like the latter. The Dreaming Dark usually employs "empty vessels", a group of carefully bred(mostly) humans, yet possessing a plain human is not unknown(of course, the character might be fluffwise a vessel-when the possession comes they are not supposed to have any choice over the matter if it is the Quori they were bred for). The character may be aware or not of the Quori's true nature and goals-after all, there are people who consider the QUori to be the lesser evil. On the other hand, you might prefer a more classic fiend, perhaps a member of the Lords of Dust. Anyway, it's an interesting concept.
#3 Beleriphon Jul 30, 2009 19:36:07	One of the Inspired Empty Vessels is perfect for this. They are specifically bred humans that the Quori can possess at will. Culturally they are taught that is the greatest honour so they make no attempt to resist.
#4 ront_iron-roar Jul 30, 2009 20:33:34	It doesn't necessarily have to be a particular powerful fiend. In fact,. 3.5 Eberron had options for any evil Outsider to have the ability to possess people or objects. I believe it was run by the character and the fiend rolling charisma checks against one another everyday. If the fiend failed consecutively three times it couldn't take over. I generally had the fiend take over during times of violence or inoppurtune times when the character wasn't expecting it. So more or less choose an evil immortal creature from somewhere keep its stats around and use its charisma.
#5 nthdegree256 Jul 31, 2009 1:03:46	Mechanically, I'd suggest keeping it in mind when you're designing combats for these PCs. You might want to give your fights little "escape hatch" toggles, places where you can easily deduct a monster or two if it turns out that the tiefling isn't going to be helping out much during the fight. Flavor-wise, I agree with the others above that the Dreaming Dark would be a good setting-specific source for the possessing spirit.