Character Idea: an atoned Mind Seed

[Avigor]

Setting: you're entering a game at level 7 or higher, where both psionics and divine magic (at least) are in play. Whether this is your first character in this campaign, or a reroll after a death could go either way. Transparency could be on or off, or could have weird case-by-case interactions of some sort instead, which this character concept suggests anyways.

The concept: your character is the result of an evil telepath of some sort using mind seed as part of a plan to create backups so that even if they're hunted down and killed, they're actually still out there, from a certain point of view. However, in your case it did not all go according to plan; instead, your implanted pre-character, and a local cleric, both realized something was wrong as you started behaving more vindictive, manipulative, megalomaniacal, or whatever, and the cleric came up with the idea of casting atonement on your germinating self, and pre-integration you accepted, hoping to cure whatever weird supernatural influence you were suffering.

Somehow, it worked, but only partially: the seed still integrated, but your alignment is now Good. Your original mind effectively ceased to exist when integration completed, and you have full memories of the evil character who implanted the germinating seed, and what their plans (if there were any) were when the seed was made, including any expectations there may have been of later contact between the seed and the original.

How would you build or play this concept? How would you DM it?
As the evil character would probably be a BBEG (or at least a very powerful servant) I feel like talking with the DM would be essential, but I'm curious what ideas you all might come up with.

[Saintheart]

Start with BoED's text on redeemed characters. They even have a redeemed mind flayer.

[Anthrowhale]

I like the idea but there's an easier mechanic than atonement via the helm of opposite alignment left as a trap by the individual being taken over.

[Avigor]

Start with BoED's text on redeemed characters. They even have a redeemed mind flayer.

Will definitely do so, been forever since I really read through anything that wasn't straight character options or equipment.


I like the idea but there's an easier mechanic than atonement via the helm of opposite alignment left as a trap by the individual being taken over.

Something to note: the helmet requires caster level 12 or 4,000 gp, atonement is caster level 9, or 450 gp as a service. Hence, the spell is simpler by RAW, the only part that might be more complicated is the setting requirement of the presence of divine magic.

[redking]

The atonement before the mindseed taking effect would probably not work. Atonement should be after the mind seeded has succeeded.

Here is the way I see it. Yes, the personality and abilities of the mind seeding attacker is written into the brain of the victim, but the victim also has its own natural inclinations, which could lead to a very different outcome. The mind seeds do have the ability to go their own way. It's even in the description of the mind seed power.

[Anymage]

I like the idea but there's an easier mechanic than atonement via the helm of opposite alignment left as a trap by the individual being taken over.

A helm of opposite alignment trap would still involve the complete dissolution of the original person, all in the name of undermining the upcoming personality and possibly inconveniencing the ultimate initiator. If I had a mind seed growing inside me and knew I couldn't save myself, I'd rather kill myself so at least some of my personality could survive as a petitioner rather than have my personality entirely scrubbed from the multiverse. Atonement at least makes sense as a hail mary play to fix the problem, even if it winds up not actually solving the issue.

For the whole character concept, the biggest issue is that you'll need major buy in from the DM and ideally the rest of the group. It's a cool idea if there's already a major telepath villain who is either causing trouble or who has recently been defeated, but either of those would have effects on the campaign world and it'd help a lot if everybody was interested in those details. If you just happened to be mind seeded by a random 15th+ level character who didn't have any impact on the world, the idea that you could have random 15th+ level characters who just do big things and then fade into the background can be immersion jarring for some people.

[Analytica]

I would love to play this. Awesome idea.

[Anthrowhale]

Something to note: the helmet requires caster level 12 or 4,000 gp, atonement is caster level 9, or 450 gp as a service. Hence, the spell is simpler by RAW, the only part that might be more complicated is the setting requirement of the presence of divine magic.
The helm is an infinite use cursed item. As such, you may be able to buy it much cheaper than for creation.


A helm of opposite alignment trap would still involve the complete dissolution of the original person, all in the name of undermining the upcoming personality and possibly inconveniencing the ultimate initiator.
The idea is that you create an armor kit for "yourself" which includes the helm. Then, when you lose your memory (because your personality has been wiped out), the new personality puts it on and ....

[Gruftzwerg]

How about the Yuan-Ti mixture to create Tainted One from humans?

It the target ain't evil, it either turns evil or can die.
IIRC its in Serpent Kingdom (not really sure and away from books atm).