Playing The Forgotten Realm setting, one of my PC has decided to play a Kalashtar and on top of this; a Cleric who believes in the Force like the Jedi (sure its a Cosmic Power but i may have some ideas what can roam behind)
Either way, the subject at hand is how should we be handling the roleplay
It will be our 3rd session tomorrow and i'd like if possible to start adding this type of roleplay instead of remaining bland...
Of course, the Kalashtar is handled by the Player but what about the Quori Spirit? Should he handle some and i handle some other like 50/50?
Or should i give him the lore that the Quori should know? 5e is almost walking blind there but i've bought EBERRON_Secrets_of_Sarlona_(3.5).pdf from the DMsguild and there is some nice information to understanding the Quori-Spirit motive and what is at stake.
Well, I do not know almost anything about specifics in this scenario, but generally I would talk to the player and let them role play the spirit. I would then rarely step in only if the spirit tried to do something completely against its character.
As a DM you need to handle a lot of stuff… and players do not get that much to do, so any opportunity when you can offload some work/gameplay to players should be utilised in my book. Especially if the player is willing to do it.
So you are playing in the Forgotten Realms but there are Kalashtar and Quori? Are they from Eberron or are you with the lore of the Kalashtar/Quori or did they choose the race for forgotten realms with no interest in Eberron lore and just wanted the racial psy abilities so they could play jedi?
If they just picked the race for mechanics to reskin as jedi like abilities and have no interest in Quori lore, then you springing this on them would probably be pretty bad.
Any way you slice it if you are going to introduce Eberron lore into a forgotten realms game and have a PCs whole backstory depend on it you should ask them what they want to do with it first.
He picked that race without really knowing how to handle it so far and was wondering what would the spirit be about.....he though it would be a spirit haunting him or something like that from what i'm getting.... None of us has knowledge about any settings whether it is Forgotten Realm, Eberon, Shadowfell, Feywild.....or else (beside myself for reading Guide to Swordcoast, books on GM'sGuild and lore that i needed to know to handle the PC....i'll eventually read the other books)
We played dnd a lot....or similar product but the previous GM was always about custom world so that he didn't have to handle the lore and not be challenge by the players about it... yeah he was the type that couldn't handle to be wrong...
On the other hand, i'm all about playing with the real dnd lore....which i can twist a little to accommodate players.... I've said already that we won't be crossing over by teleporting into other Realm....as there is already enough to explore in the Forgotten Realm.....it doesn't mean that stuff cannot cross into the FR... I know how i'll be handling the Raven Queen's interest....and after all, the Shadar-Kai PC was born in FR although his father had left the Shadowfell which is how he wrote his backstory to be tied up to FR
I'm starting to get some ideas how i could be handling the lore for a Kalashtar....although party is still lvl1 so i got time ahead... What if his Quori Spirit could find useful information/item to go back and help his cause in Eberon through the campaign ....and while we finish Storm King Thunder as our first campaign together; each PC would be able to set goals for their character as they ride off into the sunset before we roll new characters for a new campaign; his goal could be to go back to Eberon. Then some day if we play Eberon, well he could be part of the lore somehow....that is if he survive the whole campaign...
I'll see what i can find....although...my issue is simply the roleplay....when his Quori is going to surface and how is it going to be handled....hes going to be roleplaying the most part im guessing although i might play it when i want to add some information....
As for his interest, i don't believe it to be an issue....we must work together to define the spirit....he just has no clue what it is about; if i find a way to tie it up with the DnD Lore, that could be more interesting than some spirit you just come up on the spot.....sure there are other avenues but an evil spirit would be mehh because as a NG Cleric, he'd want to get rid of it....as a good spirit, he already doesn't want to be tied up with a God...so yeah...i think the Quori Spirit will do perfect.....
Think of it as akin to a warlock’s patron - something you as the DM can use sometimes, but don’t have to always be using. Notably, unlike a patron, which can be a little more active in how it interacts with their followers, the flavour of a Kalashtar says: “Kalashtar can’t directly communicate with their quori spirits.”
So, how to roleplay this? Every so often just give them a little nudge to remind them it is there. “You feel a sense of dread that does not seem to originate from your soul”; “Your Quori spirit seems pleased with how you conducted yourself today.” Small little things like that.
Even beyond just the reminders it is there, you can also use the quori to help keep the campaign running. For example, if the party has been debating a course of action for a while, you could have the quori spirit seem more fearful/excited for one side of the debate over another, as a way to break decision paralysis. You can also use it to warn players that they should be cautious in their course of action if they are about to do something dangerous. You need to be careful with this kind of thing - use it too often and it feels like you are railroading the players - but it can still be an effective tool for pushing players in certain directions.
Makes sense. By the way, a funny thing we've discussed last night that within the 10 potentials quirks, one of them says you're talking to your spirit out loud....which kind of is the opposite from the other description ....i've ruled that if he took this quirk, then he could....otherwise coud'nt...
I would not say that is the opposite of the official description and I do not think that quirk is incompatible with an inability to communicate with the quori spirit. After all, folks talk all the time to things they cannot communicate with, it just means they are making sounds, just not getting through to the other side.
Speaking words out loud also concentrates the feelings and thoughts and gives them form. Just like a quori’s emotions might trickle through to the Kalashtar (particularly in dreams), saying something out loud might be able to get something through to the quori even without actual communication occurring. Think a dog who can’t see a human because a wall separates them - they can’t really communicate, but if the human says something out loud, the dog will at least be able to know the person was there and might pick up the tone, even if they have no clue as to the meaning.
Yeah, i could do that too. I think maybe the word "discuss" is the key word ....in french the dictionary seem to include an exchange of ideas while in english is more loose...showing different context....from what google gives me quickly...either way. You would talk to the wall. You wouldnt discuss with the wall. You could probably discuss with yourself by thinking out loud and answering yourself... but you wouldnt discuss with your Quori Spirit...as you're not getting anything in return...or could be you saying stuff and during your dream somehow your Quori Spirit answering you back....
Could be the interpretation of the word discuss that i am making.....in context of magic....me missinterpreting it.....what you re saying would make sense too... :)
I doubt he will take this quirk, but if he's interested, i'll check with him his options
Hi
Playing The Forgotten Realm setting, one of my PC has decided to play a Kalashtar and on top of this; a Cleric who believes in the Force like the Jedi (sure its a Cosmic Power but i may have some ideas what can roam behind)
Either way, the subject at hand is how should we be handling the roleplay
It will be our 3rd session tomorrow and i'd like if possible to start adding this type of roleplay instead of remaining bland...
Of course, the Kalashtar is handled by the Player but what about the Quori Spirit? Should he handle some and i handle some other like 50/50?
Or should i give him the lore that the Quori should know? 5e is almost walking blind there but i've bought EBERRON_Secrets_of_Sarlona_(3.5).pdf from the DMsguild and there is some nice information to understanding the Quori-Spirit motive and what is at stake.
How have you handle this with your players?
Thanks
Well, I do not know almost anything about specifics in this scenario, but generally I would talk to the player and let them role play the spirit. I would then rarely step in only if the spirit tried to do something completely against its character.
As a DM you need to handle a lot of stuff… and players do not get that much to do, so any opportunity when you can offload some work/gameplay to players should be utilised in my book. Especially if the player is willing to do it.
So you are playing in the Forgotten Realms but there are Kalashtar and Quori? Are they from Eberron or are you with the lore of the Kalashtar/Quori or did they choose the race for forgotten realms with no interest in Eberron lore and just wanted the racial psy abilities so they could play jedi?
If they just picked the race for mechanics to reskin as jedi like abilities and have no interest in Quori lore, then you springing this on them would probably be pretty bad.
Any way you slice it if you are going to introduce Eberron lore into a forgotten realms game and have a PCs whole backstory depend on it you should ask them what they want to do with it first.
He picked that race without really knowing how to handle it so far and was wondering what would the spirit be about.....he though it would be a spirit haunting him or something like that from what i'm getting.... None of us has knowledge about any settings whether it is Forgotten Realm, Eberon, Shadowfell, Feywild.....or else (beside myself for reading Guide to Swordcoast, books on GM'sGuild and lore that i needed to know to handle the PC....i'll eventually read the other books)
We played dnd a lot....or similar product but the previous GM was always about custom world so that he didn't have to handle the lore and not be challenge by the players about it... yeah he was the type that couldn't handle to be wrong...
On the other hand, i'm all about playing with the real dnd lore....which i can twist a little to accommodate players.... I've said already that we won't be crossing over by teleporting into other Realm....as there is already enough to explore in the Forgotten Realm.....it doesn't mean that stuff cannot cross into the FR... I know how i'll be handling the Raven Queen's interest....and after all, the Shadar-Kai PC was born in FR although his father had left the Shadowfell which is how he wrote his backstory to be tied up to FR
I'm starting to get some ideas how i could be handling the lore for a Kalashtar....although party is still lvl1 so i got time ahead... What if his Quori Spirit could find useful information/item to go back and help his cause in Eberon through the campaign ....and while we finish Storm King Thunder as our first campaign together; each PC would be able to set goals for their character as they ride off into the sunset before we roll new characters for a new campaign; his goal could be to go back to Eberon. Then some day if we play Eberon, well he could be part of the lore somehow....that is if he survive the whole campaign...
I'll see what i can find....although...my issue is simply the roleplay....when his Quori is going to surface and how is it going to be handled....hes going to be roleplaying the most part im guessing although i might play it when i want to add some information....
As for his interest, i don't believe it to be an issue....we must work together to define the spirit....he just has no clue what it is about; if i find a way to tie it up with the DnD Lore, that could be more interesting than some spirit you just come up on the spot.....sure there are other avenues but an evil spirit would be mehh because as a NG Cleric, he'd want to get rid of it....as a good spirit, he already doesn't want to be tied up with a God...so yeah...i think the Quori Spirit will do perfect.....
Think of it as akin to a warlock’s patron - something you as the DM can use sometimes, but don’t have to always be using. Notably, unlike a patron, which can be a little more active in how it interacts with their followers, the flavour of a Kalashtar says: “Kalashtar can’t directly communicate with their quori spirits.”
So, how to roleplay this? Every so often just give them a little nudge to remind them it is there. “You feel a sense of dread that does not seem to originate from your soul”; “Your Quori spirit seems pleased with how you conducted yourself today.” Small little things like that.
Even beyond just the reminders it is there, you can also use the quori to help keep the campaign running. For example, if the party has been debating a course of action for a while, you could have the quori spirit seem more fearful/excited for one side of the debate over another, as a way to break decision paralysis. You can also use it to warn players that they should be cautious in their course of action if they are about to do something dangerous. You need to be careful with this kind of thing - use it too often and it feels like you are railroading the players - but it can still be an effective tool for pushing players in certain directions.
Thanks Caerwyn,
Makes sense. By the way, a funny thing we've discussed last night that within the 10 potentials quirks, one of them says you're talking to your spirit out loud....which kind of is the opposite from the other description ....i've ruled that if he took this quirk, then he could....otherwise coud'nt...
I would not say that is the opposite of the official description and I do not think that quirk is incompatible with an inability to communicate with the quori spirit. After all, folks talk all the time to things they cannot communicate with, it just means they are making sounds, just not getting through to the other side.
Speaking words out loud also concentrates the feelings and thoughts and gives them form. Just like a quori’s emotions might trickle through to the Kalashtar (particularly in dreams), saying something out loud might be able to get something through to the quori even without actual communication occurring. Think a dog who can’t see a human because a wall separates them - they can’t really communicate, but if the human says something out loud, the dog will at least be able to know the person was there and might pick up the tone, even if they have no clue as to the meaning.
Yeah, i could do that too. I think maybe the word "discuss" is the key word ....in french the dictionary seem to include an exchange of ideas while in english is more loose...showing different context....from what google gives me quickly...either way. You would talk to the wall. You wouldnt discuss with the wall. You could probably discuss with yourself by thinking out loud and answering yourself... but you wouldnt discuss with your Quori Spirit...as you're not getting anything in return...or could be you saying stuff and during your dream somehow your Quori Spirit answering you back....
Could be the interpretation of the word discuss that i am making.....in context of magic....me missinterpreting it.....what you re saying would make sense too... :)
I doubt he will take this quirk, but if he's interested, i'll check with him his options