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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jürgen Hubert" data-source="post: 4044534" data-attributes="member: 7177">A recent reviewing of the episode <a href="http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/048.html" target="_blank">Passing through Gethsemane</a> of Babylon 5 got me thinking of everyone's favorite cursed magic item - the <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/cursedItems.htm#helmofOppositeAlignment" target="_blank">Helm of Opposite Alignment</a>.Its "standard use" in a plot is that a paragon of goodness becomes corrupted by it (often, but not always, a paladin) and goes over to the side of darkness. However, many also use it to "cure" monsters and villains of their evil tendencies (most often PCs, though there's an organization in Ptolus that does it as well).In that episode, there's a process pretty similar to this:SPOILERS!Basically, hardened murderers in the Earth Alliance don't get the death penality but are mindwiped instead and given a far more positive personality, remembering nothing of their past and instead have a strong desire to serve the community and others.Through to an accident, a former serial killer is assumed dead some time after this was done to him but resurfaces later and joins a monastic order. The new "Brother Edward" is one of the most pleasant, friendly, and helpful members of this order.But a vengeful relative of one of his former victims hunts him down with the intention of killing him. However, before he kills him, he hires a telepath to make Edward remember his past again.This revelation is extremely traumatic for him - he is shattered by the knowledge that he is a murderer, and he questions the supposed "kindness" of this form of punishment. After all, how can someone go through penance for his sins when he does not even know how those rites are?Anyway, I think that using a Helm of Opposite Alignment on villains and evil monsters would be extremely traumatic for the "new" personality as well. They are now fully aware of their many sins - and regret them. And if they are aware of the artificial nature of their new personality, they might despair that they are beyond any true redemption. After all, would the good deities accept any soul who is only "good" because of a magical curse?I'd expect anyone who becomes good because of such a curse to be extremely angsty - possibly leading to suicide or at least subconsciously seeking death (a martyr complex). Witnesses might wonder if it wouldn't have been kinder just to kill that person.I'm not saying that using the Helm for that is the wrong thing to do. But I'm not saying it's the right thing to do, either, and that it should have consequences and that it isn't a quick fix to problems. And this might make for some interesting ethical dilemmas for the PCs (which I wouldn't spoil by providing divine guidance or making one of the options "the right one").What are your thoughts on this?</blockquote>

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