RPing a man with two souls?

[ToastyTobasco]

In our Curse of Strahd game I am playing a Conquest Paladin with an odd twist.

Story is that the first soul is the paladin (Lawful good) who grew up in Barovia and grew sick of the injustices he saw at every turn. He is the primary owner of the body. The second soul is one of a previous character of mine (Chaotic Evil, Draconic Sorceror. He was a ton of fun to play) who died in the Death House. When the paladin entered the house, the soul of the sorceror got crammed in there, forcing him to relive an alternate timeline in the DH in visions, causing him to panic in certain areas where the sorceror almost died. (Both DMs tweaked some things for the module and it was fun playing paranoid. Also seeing a near TPK from a broom for the second time had me rolling as I was the only one to not bother the thing both times)

The Evil soul screwed up the original soul's memories and skewed the ideals towards Conquest Paladin, justifying that they could lead Barovia proper.

Right now they are done with Yester Hill. Ive played him as slightly paranoid but a little tactically minded and growing more cruel to his enemies as he gains power. He views the party mostly as fellow mercenaries apart from the gnome druid, who is like a daughter. I couldnt bring myself to be gritty and gruff with the precious cinammon roll that she is and I will march right through the nine hells to keep her safe. (Player is brand new and is as innocent and starry eyed as can be)

Sad part is, this would be a great reason to Multiclass but Conquest is so well contained and seemingly without dead levels

My DM really wants to play up the polar opposites within this toon as well as add a little madness as we go. The Good soul wants to be that paragon of light and salvation and the Evil Soul wants nothing more than to break all those before him.
(The Sorcs original dream was to cast Meteor Swarm, preferably over a thriving city. )

Any advice?

[Nifft]

Are there two distinct personalities, or have they merged by this point?

You said the evil soul got to modify the memories of the good soul -- did the reverse also happen? Or is the evil soul gone now, merged into the good soul (and all its modifications are done, and the evil is now gone except insofar as it has already influenced the good soul)?


Or is it more like: "Yep, got two of 'em. One on each foot."

[Tetrasodium]

Sand danGlokta (http://firstlaw.wikia.com/wiki/Sand_dan_Glokta) from the first law series (https://www.goodreads.com/series/43644-the-first-law) should make for wonderful inspiration on how to go "uhh... dude... are you.. ok?" dark without breaking the game by going flat out villain. I'd rank Glokta as lawful neutral or lawful evil Jorg Ancrath (http://broken-empire.wikia.com/wiki/Jorg_Ancrath) from the broken empire (https://www.goodreads.com/series/64473-the-broken-empire) series is probably the only example of a chaotic neutral diving towards chaotic evil character who can be a constructive force for stability that I've ever seen that doesn't round off the chaos or stow it off the page.
Glokta is a disturbing character that you want to feel sympathy & pity for. Jorg is a horrible person you want to like.

[ToastyTobasco]

Its a bit of devil and angel on your shoulder piloting this guy. They are not sure why the body will preach salvation one second and carve his holy symbol unto slain cultists the next. Eventually justifies actions to spreading fear and marking areas as conquered


As things get darker, the conflict within will grow and I think I'll roll to see which voice is louder with moral decisions, outside of dealing with the Druid, who they both see as very endearing and worth keeping alive.

[Nifft]

outside of dealing with the Druid

If you make a deal with a Druid, you risk a slippery (yet very flat) slide into neutrality.

[lordarkness]

Since the souls conflict, setting triggers may help guide you.

The two will vie for control so perhaps each time the paladin kills, sees blood, holds money, or witnesses injustice there is a chance (die roll or your call) that he will go too far. Perhaps each time he goes too far he finds it easier to justify and harder to tow the line forcing him to always fight himself and to try to make amends for the things his dark side has done.

Over simplified this could be like the hulk. "Trust this, you won't survive me when I'm angry,"

[ToastyTobasco]

Since the souls conflict, setting triggers may help guide you.

The two will vie for control so perhaps each time the paladin kills, sees blood, holds money, or witnesses injustice there is a chance (die roll or your call) that he will go too far. Perhaps each time he goes too far he finds it easier to justify and harder to tow the line forcing him to always fight himself and to try to make amends for the things his dark side has done.

Over simplified this could be like the hulk. "Trust this, you won't survive me when I'm angry,"

I love it.

[KyleG]

I could see this as a d10 roll. 1-5 towards the light 6-10 to the dark. If you get a point to the dark then next roll its only a 1-4 you make the light decision to the light if you roll a 1-4 this time not only do you act on it but it returns you to the balance. Once you get further to the dark harder to come back likewise the light.

[ToastyTobasco]

I could see this as a d10 roll. 1-5 towards the light 6-10 to the dark. If you get a point to the dark then next roll its only a 1-4 you make the light decision to the light if you roll a 1-4 this time not only do you act on it but it returns you to the balance. Once you get further to the dark harder to come back likewise the light.

I really love a system like this. I think this will help a ton with the moral flux and I really want this to be a man of extremes


My only hangup is with the party now. The party only sticks their necks out of rewards are offered as half the party are basically hardcore mercenaries. "No pay, no way" and the Druid is becoming a little treasure goblin.
Im also not used to playing Good characters and being the only non-neutral in the party. I think I need to appeal to their greed for my objectives.

We are also hopping all over Barovia and kinda half finishing any area. It also doesnt help every encounter has been deadly (we have been underleveled for each) and sh*t just hit the fan in Kresk with a certain event with a lake so we will be really on edge as Strahd will be out for blood.)

Sorry of this gets slightly off topic, its helping me figure things out

[Ganymede]

I really love a system like this. I think this will help a ton with the moral flux and I really want this to be a man of extremes



Alternatively, you could just decide when the sorcerer's personality will resurface based on when it would make the most sense or when it would be the most fun.

[ToastyTobasco]

Alternatively, you could just decide when the sorcerer's personality will resurface based on when it would make the most sense or when it would be the most fun.
This is what I am doing at the moment. Right now the Sorceror is piloting, brutalizing enemies and making totems out of them.
Marking the area as his and as a warning to Strahds minions. Totems as in human corpse scarecrows and carving his holy symbol into them when he can.
Conquering has been iffy as my dice have not been kind to me lately. Got hit by lightning twice.

The Paladin soul is coming out as he has found a strange draconic holy symbol and it is pulling him towards a location to unlock its power.

I want to get him properly fleshed out before the Amber Temple, where I know alignment shifts can happen and it will be interesting to see which soul wins out. The only annoying thing is I know many items in this campaign only work for Good alignment.

[GlenSmash!]

Sand danGlokta (http://firstlaw.wikia.com/wiki/Sand_dan_Glokta) from the first law series (https://www.goodreads.com/series/43644-the-first-law) should make for wonderful inspiration on how to go "uhh... dude... are you.. ok?" dark without breaking the game by going flat out villain. I'd rank Glokta as lawful neutral or lawful evil Jorg Ancrath (http://broken-empire.wikia.com/wiki/Jorg_Ancrath) from the broken empire (https://www.goodreads.com/series/64473-the-broken-empire) series is probably the only example of a chaotic neutral diving towards chaotic evil character who can be a constructive force for stability that I've ever seen that doesn't round off the chaos or stow it off the page.
Glokta is a disturbing character that you want to feel sympathy & pity for. Jorg is a horrible person you want to like.

Nice examples, and excellent taste in books.

[TheFryingPen]

If you want some inspiration on how "foreign" influence could influence your character take a look at 3e's binder and pact magic system. In short: it's a class that can't really do anything other than binding different outcast souls (vestiges) to it during a ritual. Depending on how the ritual goes (ability check basically) your appearance changes and you specific get roleplay and mechanical disadvantages. Afaik there's one dwarf vestige for example that requires you to give each dwarf you meet a gold coin and another made you make spell saves vs heals (basically if you succeed you don't get healed). There's a 5e homebrew conversion of the binder: http://mfov.magehandpress.com/2016/06/book-of-binding.html but they've toned down a lot of the vestige influences.

[ToastyTobasco]

If you want some inspiration on how "foreign" influence could influence your character take a look at 3e's binder and pact magic system. In short: it's a class that can't really do anything other than binding different outcast souls (vestiges) to it during a ritual. Depending on how the ritual goes (ability check basically) your appearance changes and you specific get roleplay and mechanical disadvantages. Afaik there's one dwarf vestige for example that requires you to give each dwarf you meet a gold coin and another made you make spell saves vs heals (basically if you succeed you don't get healed). There's a 5e homebrew conversion of the binder: http://mfov.magehandpress.com/2016/06/book-of-binding.html but they've toned down a lot of the vestige influences.

Holy cow that is a book, not a class. Neat idea

[Tawmis]

I could see this as a d10 roll. 1-5 towards the light 6-10 to the dark. If you get a point to the dark then next roll its only a 1-4 you make the light decision to the light if you roll a 1-4 this time not only do you act on it but it returns you to the balance. Once you get further to the dark harder to come back likewise the light.

I was going to suggest something similar. I have two large D20 (Critical LED), one is white, one is black.

Essentially when you get in a situation, you roll two D20, selecting one to be the Paladin personality, the other the Sorcerer personality.

Which ever scores higher is the personality that takes charge.

You could even get a little more into it, and whatever the difference is - use that for the degree of the personality.

So for example, Paladin dice rolls a 5, the Sorcerer dice rolls a 15. The difference is 10 in favor of the Sorcer dice, so he's feeling pretty evil.

Where as if you rolled a 5 on the Paladin dice, but only a 7 on the Sorcerer dice, he siding with the darker thoughts, but the Paladin side of him is keeping him fairly restrained.

[ToastyTobasco]

I was going to suggest something similar. I have two large D20 (Critical LED), one is white, one is black.

Essentially when you get in a situation, you roll two D20, selecting one to be the Paladin personality, the other the Sorcerer personality.

Which ever scores higher is the personality that takes charge.

You could even get a little more into it, and whatever the difference is - use that for the degree of the personality.

So for example, Paladin dice rolls a 5, the Sorcerer dice rolls a 15. The difference is 10 in favor of the Sorcer dice, so he's feeling pretty evil.

Where as if you rolled a 5 on the Paladin dice, but only a 7 on the Sorcerer dice, he siding with the darker thoughts, but the Paladin side of him is keeping him fairly restrained.

Nice, I will keep this in mind. But knowing my luck with the dice they would either always land the same or within 1 of each other. I think my d20's got cursed

[Tawmis]

Nice, I will keep this in mind. But knowing my luck with the dice they would either always land the same or within 1 of each other. I think my d20's got cursed

Blame the Sorcerer side of your character for that. ;)

[ToastyTobasco]

Blame the Sorcerer side of your character for that. ;)

Hahahaha. Golden