The Nature of Souls

[Gyor]

They've made it clear that Souls are going to be a key thematic element of the game. They've mentioned "Strong Souls" "Lineage Souls" "Travelling Soul and" so on.

 

So what element do you think Souls represented by Races or Classes.

 

They've said that magic is powered by souls so I'm inclined to think Classes. So someone born with multiple Souls could be a multiclasser, someone with a "Strong" soul might be a fighter, someone whose soul has been to divine realms might be a cleric, one with purity might be a Paladin, one with lineage might be a wizard, and so on.

 

Alternately it could be race. The Godlike races (peple seem to forget the Godlike are multiple races, not a single race, just like the planetouched have tefling, Genasi, and Aasmir) would have had a soul visit the divine realms, a elf may have lineage, dwarf a strong soul, human fragmented, and so on.

 

So what mechanical representation do you think souls will have?

[Haerski]

If I understood right also characters with "weaker" souls may face some kind of discrimination and "racism" in the world Obsidian is creating, which might indicate souls have something to do with characters race. It's also possibility they are going to be completely separate character feature, which has nothing to do with class or race.

 

EDIT: But your interpretation where characters type of soul defines his/her class sounds most logical to me.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Haerski

[Gyor]

Agreed

[The Sharmat]

I personally assumed that the nature of a given soul had nothing to do with race.

[RosesandAshes]

I personally assumed that the nature of a given soul had nothing to do with race.

 

This was my impression too. I imagined that souls could become "fragmented" from trauma, or perhaps weakened over successive lifetimes depending on actions. I'm sure it'll be covered in a future update, though.

[Gorth]

Sounds a bit like the old 'Charisma' stat for sorcerers in D&D.

[dlux]

They've said that magic is powered by souls so I'm inclined to think Classes. So someone born with multiple Souls could be a multiclasser, someone with a "Strong" soul might be a fighter, someone whose soul has been to divine realms might be a cleric, one with purity might be a Paladin, one with lineage might be a wizard, and so on.

I do believe that the game will work something like this, at least that is the way I understood it too.

 

For example, a fighter will be able to use a sword based purely upon instinct, because their soul grants them this trait. They also have the ability to become great and powerful warriors if they have a "talented" soul. Same goes for mages, etc.

 

I am not sure if this is what Obsidian is planning, but it is what I believe at the moment.

 

Alternately it could be race. The Godlike races (peple seem to forget the Godlike are multiple races, not a single race, just like the planetouched have tefling, Genasi, and Aasmir) would have had a soul visit the divine realms, a elf may have lineage, dwarf a strong soul, human fragmented, and so on.

 

So what mechanical representation do you think souls will have?

Hmm, well maybe an elf will be more likely to receive a magic sensitive soul, because of bioligical traits... or maybe the gods intented it to be this way (or something else)? Further: Maybe dwarves are more prone to receive receive fighter souls, Humans receive equal amounts of magic souls, fighter souls, etc?

Edited September 30, 2012 by dlux

[septembervirgin]

one with lineage might be a wizard

 

More likely, a noble.

 

Souls might be seen as technological artifacts. Self-replicating, these modules are also self-encoding with random patterns that are bounded and generated by identifiable genetic code. Hence, only some beings can have souls (not insects, say). If the code has appeared before or sufficiently resembles any prior codes, it will carry with it memories and patterns typical of the code or codes it resembles. Also, it might carry the abilities of prior codes. With a great many generations, codes can carry quite a bit of resemblance to prior codes since variation is bounded by classed interpretation of genetic code.

 

Now, a fractured or frail soul might be code that triggers a rarely occurring error or perhaps a soul that has been erroneously assigned non-information or unfinished software.

 

Keep in mind that I do NOT believe this game is a "science fantasy" so much, I'm just using this as a metaphor.

 

The memories that a soul brings with it could be entirely artificial (and probably are elaborated with fictional or reconstructed memories). This might give the bearers of these "past memories" stories that enhance their social status albeit being inaccurate data on how to survive and thrive in the real world. The so-called gods might even be divisive on whether or not this information is metaphoric and useful once deciphered OR at least partially accurate about locations and situations that have not yet been discovered, or have not yet occurred. The gods probably don't want the mortal populaces (who are messy and too numerous) to discover any stronger use for their souls than already is had.

 

The fact that souls provide magic shows that the environment is saturated with "nano-tech" and perhaps the environment has innate security and safeguards to protect many mortals from the depredations of the gods. While the gods have a superior magic technology which they all have at least rudimentary understanding of (I push this button and this works), mortals are more numerous and their magic is sufficiently advanced to present a danger to the gods themselves -- who can only keep themselves distant and cannot destroy mortals without a terrible battle made more heinous by the inherent safeguards and security that the mortal lands are infused with.

 

In essence, souls are something mortals have and maybe gods also have, but the secrets of these souls might be entirely outside the ability of any to entirely understand, at least not in the era we find these beings within the context of this game.

 

Oh -- and as far as classes are concerned, the way I understand it as working from announcements is that a "soul" is an additional background feature of every character in the game. While players might discover a way to advantage a specific character build in tandem with a soul choice, I think it won't be tied to character class. That's what I glean, at least.

Edited September 30, 2012 by septembervirgin