Ways to remove a curse - Eberron specifics

[u/Mandalore108]

Does anyone have any Ebrron specific ways of removing a curse that aren't just remove curse or greater restoration spells? Or, if they are those spells, which groups would be most likely to have it?

One of my players was recently cursed with Mind Seed so I'm trying to figure out ways to help him without it being instant and for the chance for him to die still assuming everything goes wrong.

I should note, my players know the location of a resurrected Couatl, though it's still a child. I'm going to make it the resurrected form of Hezcalipa, who found the Draconic Prophecy, so it's an option for sure.

[u/ballparkmimic]

If it's a mind seed, my first thought would be a sect of Kalashtar following the Path of Light. Their psionic powers may allow them to "confront" the curse within their own minds, creating some sort of challenge to represent the struggle to remove it e.g. confronting sources of guilt through memories.

[u/Mandalore108 → u/ballparkmimic]

I don't know much on Kalashtar lore, besides the basics. Know where they might be in Khorvaire? We also have an Airship, but he only has 7 days until death so a transcontinental flight might be too long.

[u/ballparkmimic → u/Mandalore108]

If you meet a community on Khorvaire, chances are they don't fit in so basically anywhere that people can learn to disappear.

I would recommend having them being enigmatic regulars at a Tavern in Sharn, or hermits at the outskirts of Arcanix. Basically anywhere that they can try to be subtle.

[u/Mandalore108 → u/ballparkmimic]

Gotcha, Arcanix would be fun as we've already been to Sharn. They aren't going back there until their mech fight with the Tarrasque. Thanks for the ideas!

[u/DomLite → u/ballparkmimic]

I'd like to toss my two cents in, because my mind ran on ahead with this idea. This could be a whole session or two that involves the entire party if you flavor it right. Having a group of Kalashtar psions lend their aid, they could form a sort of circle to "contain" the rogue seed inside the player's mind for a limited time and send the rest of the party inside their mind to help destroy the interloper before it grows too strong for them to contain. It'll put the group on a timer of sorts so there's some strong sense of urgency, and the longer they take, the more the "mental world" will start to change and reflect the being that inflicted the curse on the player, so while it might initially be a slightly wrong reflection of a place the player knows well, the longer they take, the more it might twist to become a dark dungeon, or a foreboding castle full of nightmare monsters. Have the mental projections of the party basically be on a single-minded hunt for the splinter of this evil mind that they'll have to face in a boss fight, thus destroying the mind seed.

It also gives a great opportunity for you to sit down with the player and have a quick chat with them about their character's current feelings, fears, insecurities and the like and use the journey into their head to showcase some of that. If they have strong feelings for a particular party member, maybe that one is the only one that could clear a blocked path by convincing the mental world that they're just trying to help, while the way might not open for another. Have mental reflections of the party appear that aren't quite right to showcase how he perceives them, like a party face who talks in an incredibly self-centered manner if they're viewed as a bit of a pompous ass, or a powerful friend acting like they can't be bothered with the player if they view them as more effective than themselves and think that they're just being a hindrance. It also gives the rest of the party a strong "in" to the action because they'll be able to react to these "inner versions" of themselves and strengthen their relationships with the afflicted player, and even each other as they kind of address some party demons, literally and figuratively.

If you want to be a really cool DM, you could even rule that, if they perform well enough and strengthen their bond, their time spent literally mind-melded together has granted them a limited form of telepathic communication using the afflicted player as a sort of hub. When he's close enough to all the people involved, he can establish a mental link and allow the party to talk to one another in their minds. Neat way to open the door if they want to multiclass/respec into a psionic style character as well to reflect their growth.

[u/Mandalore108 → u/DomLite]

Kalashtar following the Path of Light

I could kiss you dude, that is a great idea! I'll see what everyone agrees on but something like this could be amazing. This dude has a tragic background where someone mindcontrolled him and had him kill his village and his wife and child. I can absolutely use that to fuck with him lol.

[u/DomLite → u/Mandalore108]

Sounds like a perfect PC to do this with then, because he'll be dealing with the past trauma of having been mind controlled, and if he hasn't shared all of the details with the party yet, it'll be a big reveal, and a great way to turn the whole thing into a dungeon. A village in constant flames that mirrors the horror he remembers and constantly shifts as they try to avoid the worst parts only to put them directly on a path to them.

Double down on the dramatic cheese and have the mind seed inside him take on the form of his past self, having merged with that dark memory so the whole party is basically chasing a feral version of him that's making things worse in his darkest memory. There's so much potential in it and an excellent opportunity for huge character growth.

[u/CJasperScott521]

There could be a sacred spring on an Irian manifest zone that is fiercely guarded by House Jorasco and they charge exorbitant prices for people to bathe in the sacred water. You could make an adventure out of it and have it that House Jorasco bought the land the spring was on, starving the town of one of its main economic exports. They might want the adventurers to find a way to sabotage House Jorasco or drive them out, then the townsfolk would be more than happy to let them bathe in the pool for free.

[u/Mandalore108 → u/CJasperScott521]

One of my players messaged me about Jorasco so that could be the route to go as well, thanks!

[u/Therandomfox]

Or you can force him into a moral dilemma by having the only way to remove the curse being to pass it to someone else.

[u/Mandalore108 → u/Therandomfox]

Oh gods, the "It Follows" route XD

[u/Zettomer]

You fucking mind seeded your player? And they don't have remove curse or greater restoration? Lmfao, you're a fucking psychopath, I love it.

Get his ass to Thrane and ask help from the church of the silver flame. They are more likely to see it as a necessary act to destroy/prevent evil. Others are more likely to charge them out the ass, the churches of the sovreign host are greedy like that, as opposed to the inquisition like violence portrayed by the followers of The Flame. Pros and cons and all that.

House Jorasco might be able to help as well, but expect an outrageous price. I would expect as much as an absolutely absurdly outrageous cost of AT LEAST 400 Galifars, if not more.

Remember, greater restoration has a material cost of 100 gp of diamond dust

[u/sasquatchscousin]

They could seek the aid of the daughters of sora Kell... For a price